Viewers reacted to This Morning introducing its new permanent presenters Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard on Friday.
The couple, aged 47 and 49 respectively, have been in talks for several months following the exit of Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield.
Fans say they think Ben and Cat are a “safe” choice who will help steer the This Morning ship into steadier waters from next month.
Phil, 61, left the show in May after more than 20 years on the air after admitting an affair with a young male showrunner, followed by claims of an increasingly strained relationship with his co-host Holly.
Months later, Holly, 43, left the show in October “for the sake of her family” after discovering she was the target of a foiled kidnapping and murder plot.
Viewers reacted to This Morning introducing its new permanent presenters Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard on Friday
The couple, aged 47 and 49 respectively, had been in talks for several months after Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield (pictured last February) exited.
While some hailed the new duo as “class acts”, others felt Craig Doyle, 53, and Josie Gibson, 39, who have fronted This Morning for months, were more worth the gig.
Viewers took to X, formerly Twitter, to share their thoughts after Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary announced the signing of Cat and Ben on Friday's show.
They wrote: “I think Ben will be great, maybe a bit safe but that's what the show needs now. The verdict on Cat is still out.”
“We finally have two great presenters this morning” and “Great news…but I still think Josie and Craig deserve better.”
What about Josie and Craig? and Ben & Cat as new presenters? Absolutely brilliant news!!'
“Finally This Morning has two fantastic presenters,” said another.
The new presenters were announced with their introductory video, in which Ben goes backstage in the studio.
Many of This Morning's presenters shared their congratulatory messages on Instagram.
While some hailed the new duo as “class acts”, others felt Craig Doyle, 53, and Josie Gibson, 39, who have fronted This Morning for months, were more deserving of the gig
Viewers took to X, formerly Twitter, to share their thoughts after Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary announced the signing of Cat and Ben on Friday's show.
This Morning's new permanent presenter Cat is said to be at odds with ITV bosses over her new post and role on So You Think You Can Dance (pictured on the show in November).
On Thursday, insiders revealed that Cat, 47, and Ben Shephard, 49, had landed the coveted roles as permanent presenters (pictured on the show in September).
Many of This Morning's presenters shared their congratulatory messages on Instagram
Craig showed there were no hard feelings when he wrote: “Congratulations guys…did someone say drinks?”, and Josie added: “I have a feeling I'm in for a work welcome party!”
Rochelle Humes wrote: “Eeek.”
Dermot said: “Huzzah! Welcome in the family.
Speaking about the new signings on the show, Dermot said: “I've known Cat for so long.”
Alison first met Cat at a party in Los Angeles about four years ago and they became friends because they were both from Birmingham.
She told him: “I met her in LA.” We're both Brummies. “I met her about four years ago, we met at a party in LA.”
“We are so happy to have them join the Ben and Cat family.”
Speaking about the signing, Ben said: “It's a really special moment for Cat and I to be part of the next chapter of This Morning.” It's an honor to be able to entrust the leadership to Alison and Dermot and the entire team, that works on and off screen and do such great work.
“For the last ten years I have been waking up with our ITV daytime audience on GMB and now I look forward to spending time with Cat…
“Welcome viewers home after the school run or from their early morning program with a cup of tea and a mix of everything that makes This Morning so popular.”
Cat added: “This Morning is a national institution.” Whenever it's on it's like having your friends with you – funny, smart, silly, warm, informative and joyful – like all great friendships!…
“This Morning is and will always be the viewer’s show. “Ben and I both know how much people love it and with the help of a great team we will do our best to take care of it.”
According to a Betfair Live Casino poll, Rylan Clark and Josie were the national favorites for a permanent presenter slot on This Morning – despite Cat and Ben being announced as main presenters.
Over one in five Brits favored former I'm A Celebrity star Josie, while Rylan came in as the clear favorite with a quarter of the votes.
Meanwhile, Alison and Dermot took first place as the show's favorite duo, with former presenters Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford close behind.