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Daytime TV Drama: The Shocking Truth Behind Your Favorite Hosts!

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Morning talk shows often strive to create a warm and friendly atmosphere to kickstart viewers’ days, however, numerous instances indicate that the lively, inviting couches which form their core could potentially pose a risk for those sitting on them.

Initially, Selina Scott and Frank Bough found themselves in the midst of BBC Breakfast Time, a program they both launched back in 1983. However, their professional relationship was far from harmonious, as evidenced by their contrasting personalities – the composed Scotswoman versus the pullover-clad co-host. Their working dynamics deteriorated to such an extent that in 2023, Selina accused Frank of orchestrating a ‘destructive campaign’ against her on air.

Back in the mid-Nineties, I found myself tuning into ITV’s GMTV, where Eamonn Holmes and Anthea Turner graced our screens. Off-camera, however, their relationship was far from harmonious; Eamonn derisively nicknamed Anthea ‘Princess Tippy Toes’, hinting at a mutual dislike that contrasted sharply with their professional camaraderie.

Only Eamonn is still on the early morning sofa, clinging on with a little-watched show on GB News.

So is life on breakfast TV as precarious as it used to be?

I spoke to insiders on all the main morning programmes to rate today’s crop of presenters.

Keep in mind – one is so frightening that she even scares her fellow hosts, yet she’s cherished by those in management positions. On the other hand, the second one is rarely present during her own program, seemingly more absent than present.

A-list

Charlie Stayt frequently appears apprehensive around her, yet Naga Munchetty rules the BBC Breakfast set like a monarch, consistently drawing twice as many viewers as Susanna Reid’s counterpart on ITV, with approximately 1.1 million tuning in to BBC compared to about 600,000 for Good Morning Britain.

Three and a half years ago, when Louise Minchin left her permanent position to focus on writing books and long-distance running, she was replaced and given a salary ranging from £335,000 to £339,999 in that role.

Viewers find Naga’s bold interview approach captivating, yet it seems that Stayt doesn’t share the same enthusiasm, and neither do certain crew members working behind the scenes.

As an ardent admirer, I’d say it goes like this: “Naga, she’s got her eyes set on what she desires, and she doesn’t settle for less. Mind you, she might not be the type to join us for a cozy dinner, but ever since Dan Walker and Louise took their leave, she’s been steering Breakfast like a seasoned sailor navigating stormy seas.

Even though Good Morning Britain, hosted by Susanna Reid, consistently trails behind the BBC in ratings, her position at ITV remains strong and she continues to be part of the network’s elite team. It’s worth noting that she was recruited from the BBC’s breakfast show following her appearance on Strictly Come Dancing in 2014. What’s more, her annual salary of £1.1 million is significantly higher than Naga’s, reflecting her A-list earning status.

She exudes an air similar to a Head Girl, firmly ruling over the network. With over a decade under her belt, there’s no whisper of replacing her, not even after she parted ways with Piers Morgan in 2021. Some found his presence added a touch of intrigue to her, but she remains captivating on her own.

For those who prefer sleeping late, morning TV offers shows airing after 9 a.m., and you’ll also notice a strong presence of empowerment among the female segments as well.

Among the former Strictly contestants from 2022, Helen Skelton of Countryfile is swiftly gaining ground as a potential co-host on BBC’s Morning Live, following Breakfast. An inside source shared that ITV was regretful for not securing her talents before the BBC did, hinting at feelings of envy.

In the competition for top talent, ITV countered by securing Cat Deeley – a popular children’s presenter who had moved to the U.S. – as the host of This Morning, which is considered the pinnacle of daytime programming. After a significant disagreement, both Phil Schofield and Holly Willoughby, once a successful duo on the show, ended their partnership.

Following several lengthy discussions and contract negotiations regarding her television obligations overseas, where she was the host of a dance program, Cat officially agreed to take over from Holly in March.

According to reports, Kevin Lygo, head of ITV, is quite fond of her. The ITV press office also shares this affection, especially since her arrival, as the controversy-laden headlines that once plagued the program have vanished. A representative from ITV commented, “She has perfectly stabilized the ship.

In simpler terms, she teamed up with Ben Shephard, who producers thought could handle things smoothly and potentially rekindle the early magic between Holly and Phil. Although many people find him rather dull, it wouldn’t be fair to exclude him from the top tier of talent.

‘He might be tedious to his colleagues but ITV know the housewives love him,’ said a source.

B-list

Kate Garraway has been on breakfast TV since the early 2000s.

From 2000 to 2010, and now on the current version, Good Morning Britain (GMB), Kate has been a host, but she hasn’t held the primary hosting role. However, she has become one of the show’s favorite substitute hosts, which is why she’s classified as a B-list host rather than a main one.

Her fame significantly increased after she emotionally discussed her late husband Derek Draper’s illness following his Covid diagnosis and subsequent passing, which occurred approximately a year ago. She produced three documentaries detailing their struggle, and later took over hosting duties for Life Stories from her longtime friend Piers Morgan.

Nevertheless, despite being the country’s inaugural widow, she is still subject to the occasional criticism from a collegue at ITV. One even commented to me rather rudely, “She’s always around, isn’t she?”

Or, in a more conversational tone:
Even though she is the first widow of our nation, she isn’t immune to the occasional backhanded comments from a colleague at ITV. One even said to me with less than grace, “She’s always here, right?

The struggle to find a suitable replacement for Morgan on Good Morning Britain following his exit four years ago (after he labeled Meghan Markle a liar and stormed off-camera) has undeniably taken its time.

ITV selects financial guru Martin Lewis as its new pick, moving him into the tier of B-list personalities. He attracts a massive audience, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, who are eager to learn effective ways to handle their finances, primarily due to his widespread popularity on social media and online platforms.

In terms of popular morning TV personalities, Christine Lampard ranks quite highly for ITV as well.

Although she experienced a significant downfall when her Daybreak program, which succeeded GMTV with Adrian Chiles and received negative feedback before being cancelled in 2014, she is now frequently chosen to replace Lorraine Kelly during her absences from her 9am self-titled lifestyle show, which airs after Good Morning Britain. (Additional details about this will be provided later.)

To be truthful, initially executives envisioned me taking over from Holly on “This Morning,” but nowadays my primary role is that of a loving mother to my daughter Patricia and son Freddie, whom I’m fortunate to share with my husband, the esteemed former footballer Frank Lampard.

At the BBC right now, it’s Gabby Roslin making a triumphant return and quietly climbing up the B-list. After spending several years in TV obscurity, where she was often heard on radio or seen browsing her online store, the one-time host of Channel 4’s Big Breakfast is once again finding favor as a substitute presenter on Morning Live.

About my fellow star Gethin Jones, some might say he didn’t quite reach the A-list, but let me tell you, he’s a B-lister who’s steering an incredible ship – Morning Live! And honestly, with its rising popularity even surpassing This Morning in ratings, it’s clear that Gethin is more than deserving of his place.

Apart from his captivating good looks and charisma, he receives high praise for his authentic Welsh accent. Moreover, it’s widely known that he possesses a kind and amusing personality off-camera as well.

Previously working in the BBC’s Crimewatch Roadshow, Michelle Ackerley has now moved up and is one of the primary hosts on Morning Live. It’s been mentioned that she’s seen as rising since she got promoted to the show last year, with 1.16 million viewers compared to This Morning’s 1 million.

Ultimately, Loyal and Skilled BBC Breakfast presenter Sally Nugent, often referred to as the “good egg,” was overlooked for the primary hosting position despite never making a misstep. Instead, Naga was chosen. I’ve heard that she is significantly more popular than her fellow presenter.

My source mentioned that she resides in the Northern region. Notably, the BBC Breakfast studio is located in MediaCityUK, Salford, while Naga has her base in Hertfordshire, approximately 200 miles away, and regularly travels to the studio.

C-list

Lorraine Kelly considers herself the monarch of morning television, a title she first earned while sitting on the couch during TV-am’s early days in 1989. Impressed by her coverage of the Lockerbie plane crash, bosses asked her to fill in for the regular couch occupants during their absences.

During the time of GMTV, Lorraine’s down-to-earth appeal captivated audiences, keeping her seated on the couch for many years. Since her daughter Rosie (now 30 and a mother) was still young, Lorraine went on to host her own subsequent program, which continues to bear her name.

I’m assigning her to the C-list due to the scarcity of her personal hosting appearances. Last year, she only hosted around 60% of her shows – that’s 154 out of 258 episodes, according to some estimates – even though she earns £568,000 per year. In fact, she missed the first program of the year entirely.

1) ITV executives have frequently indicated to me that they believe Lorraine will be discontinued shortly. Despite her warm and friendly demeanor on camera, giving the impression of a close friendship, Lorraine wields significant power behind the scenes, and it’s not advisable to challenge her authority.

When she’s not around, Ranvir Singh, the talented presenter who danced on Strictly in 2021, occasionally steps in. You might remember that Ranvir co-hosted Good Morning Britain with Kate Garraway, and viewers really enjoyed it. However, it seems like she’s been appearing less frequently on television these days.

Previously, Ed Balls, a former Shadow Chancellor for Labour, was nicknamed as the ‘rescuer’ during times when GMB executives were struggling to replace the large presence left by Piers Morgan. However, this perception shifted drastically after he conducted an interview with his own wife, Yvette Cooper, who served as Home Secretary, on live television last year.

The public expressed justifiable anger over the apparent conflict of interests presented by the power couple’s roles, leading to widespread accusations of bias and unfairness. Many viewers, as well as ITV and Ofcom, received an influx of complaints. Backstage, staff are reportedly outraged and advocating for his removal from the show. However, Susanna, who is a supporter of the former Labour MP, has kept him on the program.

Frankly, I’ve been utterly captivated by the career trajectory of Josie Gibson. Initially, whispers suggested she could take over from Holly on This Morning, and I can see why – her segments were commendable. However, according to my insider intel, her relatively inexperienced background (as a Big Brother winner) seemed to fall short of the seasoned presence that broadcasting legends often possess.

Ever since Cat took over, it seems like Josie has vanished from sight. The vivacious resident of Bristol, once a call center employee and now a reality TV personality, was thrilled to secure the position as a recurring substitute host, having previously worked as an on-screen mobile reporter.

‘ITV can be a cruel place,’ mused my This Morning insider.

As a devoted admirer, I shouldn’t overlook the unexpected contender, Jon Kay from BBC Breakfast, who seemingly emerged out of the blue (he had been a reporter with the Beeb for two decades, although not widely recognized as a show host). Interestingly, he recently threw his hat in the ring to potentially succeed Dan Walker.

Currently, Jon is low key but I’m told the Beeb have ‘high hopes’ for him.

Previously, seasoned journalist Kay Burley had been a thorn in the side of many politicians who faced her tough questioning on the Sky News morning show that she’s hosted since 2019, with one exception: a pause from the screen when she broke Covid guidelines to celebrate her 60th birthday.

However, at the age of 64, she decided to step down earlier this month, expressing her desire to explore other interests such as her passion for traveling. Although her departure has taken a toll on the breakfast show ratings, it’s unlikely that we won’t see her on our screens again for too long.

D-list

Five years back, BBC introduced Morning Live with the ambition to outshine “This Morning.” Yet, despite consistently drawing over a million viewers each day, several of its on-air personalities haven’t quite captured the hearts of the nation as we’d hoped.

Kym Marsh, known for her time in the pop group Hear’Say, was selected as a host from the beginning, but it seems she doesn’t appeal to everyone. One industry expert commented, “She might be better off doing photoshoots for OK! magazine.” However, not everyone shares this opinion. This assessment is not universally accepted.

She frequently collaborates with Rav Wilding, a past Crimewatch presenter, whose career was revived following photos of a dispute between him and his ex, Chantelle Houghton, in Richmond Park from 2010, which could have potentially ruined his professional path.

However, despite trying very hard indeed, I’m told he is still in need of ‘a lot’ of stardust.

Now we have Craig Doyle, a previous host of Holiday and temporary replacement for Phillip Schofield, currently in a lower position on This Morning following Ben Shephard’s arrival, even though he was once considered a strong candidate for the top role.

Ultimately, there’s Eamonn Holmes, once a dominant figure on morning TV, now facing lower viewership numbers at GB News. As for his peers, they generally find him quite gloomy.

Among the producers at GB News, there’s much discussion about how long a particular show will continue, and they believe its duration won’t be extensive, according to my source within the channel.

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2025-02-22 04:38

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