Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley front first This Morning: We are thrilled to be here

Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley have said they are “thrilled” to kick off their first show as the new permanent presenters of This Morning.

The duo have taken over from Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield, who co-hosted ITV1’s flagship morning programme together for 14 years before they both left in 2023.

Former Good Morning Britain (GMB) presenter Shephard and So You Think You Can Dance host Deeley will helm the ITV show from Monday to Thursday, with Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary presenting on Fridays.

Opening the show, Shephard, 49, said: “Hello, it’s Monday March 11, welcome to a brand new week.”

Deeley, 47, said: “We are so excited to be here … This show has been a huge part of our lives for so long, so to be actually standing here with you, it’s good.”

Shephard agreed, saying: “It is very special, we are thrilled to be here.”

He also thanked those who have sent them messages of support.

Among those was presenting duo Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, who worked alongside Deeley on SM:TV Live early on in their career, who provided a “word of warning” to Shephard.

Donnelly said: “Have the best time. You’re going to be amazing, we can’t wait to watch.”

McPartlin added: “A little bit of a word of advice for Ben about Cat, because we’ve worked with Cat, and she might be all sweetness and light but that girl can party, don’t think she can’t.”

Donnelly joked: “Keep the lock on the drinks cabinet.”

Deeley responded to their quips by saying: “Listen, my motto in life – work hard, play hard.”

Former footballer Chris Kamara, who Shephard worked with on ITV game show Ninja Warrior UK, also had some advice to offer to Deeley about her new co-star.

He said: “He’s like a bear with a sore head when West Ham get beat and the rest of the time he is just miserable – only kidding.

“Let me tell you Cat, he was one of the best things to happen to me and I’m sure you will see that, and vice versa, of course.

“Good luck to you both. I think you’re going to smash it.”

Deeley rose to fame as a presenter of Saturday morning ITV children’s programme SM:TV Live alongside McPartlin and Donnelly, and its spin-off music programme CD:UK with Willoughby.

She is also known for hosting ITV’s Stars In Their Eyes, the BBC’s Fame Academy and American competition show So You Think You Can Dance, which she presented for more than a decade.

Shephard is known for fronting the ITV quiz show Tipping Point and previously co-hosting ITV1’s breakfast show GMB.

He left GMB in February in order to front This Morning, which he has previously presented on as a replacement for Schofield.

Kate Garraway, who co-presented alongside Shephard on GMB, said his departure from the show was “emotional”, adding: “Ben’s still here, he’s still in the ITV family.”

Shephard also presented on the now-defunct GMTV and reality spin-off show The Xtra Factor.

Last year, This Morning saw a rotation of presenters on the famous sofa, including Deeley who hosted alongside Rylan Clark in November.

Schofield left ITV and was dropped by his talent agency after admitting to an “unwise but not illegal” relationship with a younger male colleague last May.

In October, Willoughby also left the show, saying she had made the “decision for me and my family”.

On Sunday she presented the final of Dancing On Ice and was joined by Deal Or No Deal’s Stephen Mulhern, who has replaced Schofield as Willoughby’s co-host.