Sarah Ferguson divides opinion with This Morning co-hosting stint

Duchess of York offered her advice on stagnating relationships on ITV daytime programme

Sarah Ferguson’s co-hosting skills have received mixed reviews from This Morning viewers after she stepped in to fill Holly Willoughby’s old seat.

The Duchess of York featured on Monday’s edition (20 November) of the ITV1 daytime programme, joining regular co-hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary.

During her brief tenure on the programme, the duchess offered her assistance with segments on learning how to use a defibrillator, learning skincare solutions to reverse sun damage, and spinning the prize wheel in This Morning’s viewer competition “Spin to Win”.

One of the most promoted segments on Monday’s show included Fergie offering relationship advice to callers.

“First dates, proposals, anything you’d like to know about,” she explained, ticking off her areas of expertise.

Both featured callers asked Fergie’s advice on making time for their partners.

“The element of surprise – that will bring the magic back to the relationship,” she explained. Later, the duchess noted that she’d done the same in a previous relationship by leaving “love notes” in her partner’s squash shoes.

Dermot O’Leary, Sarah ‘Fergie’ Ferguson and Alison Hammond on This Morning (ITV / screengrab)

Fergie was married to Prince Andrew from 1986 to 1996 and they share two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.

As well as incorporating more surprises into stagnating relationships, another piece of advice was for the callers to wear some “saucy underwear”.

In response, viewers have shared their thoughts on Fergie’s presenting skills and on-screen charisma.

For some, the duchess’s sense of humour and unexpected asides were a highlight. “I forgot how funny Fergie is,” one fan wrote on X/Twitter.

“LOVE LOVE LOVE that Fergie is presenting This Morning,” added another.

Fergie on This Morning - Spin to Win (ITV)

However, others weren’t as glowing with their feedback, with one viewer criticising her friendly banter with news commentator Gyles Brandreth.

“Switches on the telly whilst enjoying a morning coffee, sees Gyles fawning over Fergie, switches off. #ThisMorning @itv what makes you think we want to see this kind of thing??” one viewer wrote.

Another unimpressed review predicted that Fergie’s hosting would be included in a round-up of unfortunate entertainment moments.

“Oh this is terrible,” one person wrote on X/Twitter, adding: “This will be on all the Christmas car crash of the year shows.”

Elsewhere in the programme, Ferguson participated in a segment about rehoming dogs, following her “inheritance” of the late Queen Elizabeth’s corgis last year.

This Morning airs every weekday on ITV1 and ITVX at 10am.