Ben Shephard has been given a warning about his This Morning co-host Cat Deeley as the pair made their debut on the ITV show today.
Comic duo Ant and Dec, who worked with Cat in the past, gave Ben “a word of advice” about his co-presenter.
Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley made their debut together today
Ant and Dec made a joke about Cat to kick off the show
Holly and Phil were hosting the show
Opening the show, Ben, 49, said: “Hello, it’s Monday March 11, welcome to a brand new week.”
Cat, 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.”
Ben agreed, saying: “It is very special, we are thrilled to be here.”
He also thanked those who have sent them messages of support, including Geordie duo Ant and Dec who appeared on Saturday morning kid’s show SM:TV Live with Cat in the late ’90s.
In a pre-recorded video, Dec said: “Have the best time. You’re going to be amazing, we can’t wait to watch.”
Ant 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.”
Dec joked: “Keep the lock on the drinks cabinet.”
Cat responded to their quips by saying: “Listen, my motto in life – work hard, play hard.”
Former footballer Chris Kamara, who Ben worked with on ITV game show Ninja Warrior UK, also had some advice to offer to Cat 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.
Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley are set for big-money deals as the new faces of This Morning
“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.”
Cat apologised after making a blunder on air today, which Ben was quick to correct.
New role
Ben and Cat 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.
Ahead of Cat and Ben’s first show together, which kicked off today at 10am, This Morning posted a video of two mugs being placed onto the table, adorned with the initials C and B.
The show also shared a video of glittery stars featuring the presenters’ names being placed onto dressing-room doors.
Last month, The Sun revealed that Ben and Cat had been selected for the coveted role after a string of rotating presenters.
Pay for the new duo is understood to be around £550,000 each — £150,000 less than Holly and Phil.
ITV confirmed the news with a video which showed Ben walking down the production corridor of the ITV show and placing a new photo of Cat on the wall, before turning to the camera to say: “See you soon.”
Cat’s photo then became animated as she winked to viewers.
The pair will host from Monday to Thursday, with Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary presenting on Fridays.
Job history
Cat rose to fame as a presenter of Saturday morning ITV children’s programme SM:TV Live alongside Ant and Dec 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.
Ben is known for fronting the ITV quiz show Tipping Point and co-hosting ITV1’s breakfast show Good Morning Britain.
He left GMB in February to front This Morning, which he has previously presented on as a replacement for Phillip Schofield.
Kate Garraway, who co-presented alongside Ben on GMB, said his departure from the show was “emotional”, adding: “Ben’s still here, he’s still in the ITV family.”
Ben has also presented on the now-defunct GMTV and reality spin-off show The Xtra Factor.
Cat has also presented on This Morning previously and co-hosted alongside Rylan Clark in November last year.
In May 2023, Schofield left ITV and was dropped by his talent agency after admitting to an “unwise but not illegal” relationship with a younger male colleague.
In October, Holly 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 her co-host.
The pair made their hotly anticipated debut
