Ben Shephard shares unforgettable way he first met This Morning's Cat Deeley

05 March 2024 , 07:38

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Ben Shephard shares unforgettable way he first met This Morning's Cat Deeley

Ben Shephard has opened up about his friendship with Cat Deeley and the surprising way they met.

The TV favourites are set to join This Morning as the two new permanent hosts, replacing Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield who both left the show suddenly last year. After Phillip stepped down following his affair with a younger male colleague was exposed, Holly also stepped away after eleven years last October following a terrifying kidnap scare.

For months on end, This Morning viewers were treated to a whole host of presenters including Craig Doyle, Alison Hammond, Dermot O'Leary, Rochelle Humes, Josie Gibson, and Rylan Clark, but ITV producers felt that Ben and Cat were the perfect pair to take over permanently after Phil and Holly's departure.

Ben Shephard shares unforgettable way he first met This Morning's Cat Deeley

Ben, 49, has now opened up about his new venture after leaving Good Morning Britain and his co-hosts, Susanna Reid and Kate Garraway. Ben started his daytime TV career with GMTV in 2000 and admitted that he almost didn't return when it was rebranded as Good Morning Britain in 2014.

He told OK! Magazine : "I've loved hosting GMB over the past 10 years. When I left GMTV, I swore I'd never go back because of the early mornings and it goes to show how wrong I was."

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Ben also shared his excitement about hosting This Morning alongside Cat, 47, who he first met several years ago - in an unforgettable way. While Ben and Cat have never worked together before, they met doing ITV's Soccer Aid with Cat presenting and Ben playing against Cat's husband, Patrick Kielty.

"It was a charity game with professionals and celebrities," Cat told OK! Magazine. "Ben was fairly nifty and athletic... I, however, was just trying to stay upright. Strangely, there was no call from Fergie [Sir Alex Ferguson ]."

Cat Deeley is taking over from Holly Willoughby ((Image: GETTY))

"We've never been lucky enough to work together before. I've taken a lot of penalties against her husband though and he's yet to save one. I'm a huge fan of Cat's she's just a brilliant broadcaster. I loved waking up to her [on SM:TV Live] so the chance to work together is really fun," Ben gushed.

The pair are excited to start their new roles, with Cat saying she can't wait to present alongside "true gentleman" Ben. "No one handles live TV better he makes it look effortless," she raved.

Susan Knox