Good Morning Britain host Ben Shephard says he will miss ‘on-screen wife’ Kate Garraway as he leaves show

Presenter announced he will be swapping ‘Good Morning Britain’ slot for ‘This Morning’

Ben Shephard has said he will miss his Good Morning Britain co-presenter Kate Garraway ahead of joining This Morning as a permanent presenter alongside Cat Deeley.

The 49-year-old, who is stepping into the daytime programme following the departure of Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, has spent more than a decade at the breakfast ITV show.

Shephard had occasionally stepped in as a replacement for Schofield on This Morning before joining GMB at its launch in 2014 along with former BBC Breakfast presenter Susanna Reid and ex-Sky News presenter Charlotte Hawkins.

He said that “one of the hardest decisions” to make was to leave his “on-screen wife” Garraway who he works with on GMB.

“One of the hardest decisions of course is knowing that my mornings with Kate, my on-screen wife of nearly 20 years, is coming to an end.”

Posting on Instagram, Shephard said: “Ten years has flown by at GMB. I’ve loved every minute, (well not those minutes immediately after the alarm goes off at 3.30am) but all the others have been incredible.

“As have these amazing women I’ve been lucky enough to sit alongside, work with, laugh with and on the odd occasions drink with!

“I will miss working with them and the whole team – and I’m very grateful that they are just next door so that whenever I get nostalgic I know they aren’t too far away.”

Ben Shephard and his ‘on-screen Good Morning Britain wife’ Kate Garraway (Ian West/PA) (PA Wire)

Following the news, Garraway shared a post on Instagram congratulating Shephard and Deeley on the appointment.

“Massive congrats to @benshephardofficial on the @itv @thismorning gig,” she wrote.

“You’ll be SOOOOO missed by EVERYONE @gmb viewers and the team alike & of course especially me. BUT after 24 years hard labour by my side no one will begrudge you time off for good behaviour!!!”

“Good luck swapping early starts for (abit) of a lie in and a Kate for a Cat! @catdeeley can’t wait to see you - you’ll have a ball,” she added.

The former GMTV presenter, who has hosted the ITV shows Tipping Point and Ninja Warrior UK, also shared an image of him with Reid, Hawkins, Kate Garraway and Ranvir Singh.

New ‘This Morning’ presenters Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard (ITV)

He will be replacing Schofield who dramatically quit the show in June 2023, after which he admitted to lying about an affair with a younger male colleague, and, four months later, ITV were thrown another blow when Willoughby revealed she was stepping away from the daytime series.

During his time on GMB, Shephard has apologised for Dame Helen Mirren and former What Not To Wear host Susannah Constantine saying bad language on-air, in separate incidents, and covered the coronation of the King.

He has also experienced a millipede urinating on him, prompting the presenter to ask for sanitiser, and comedian and actress Daisy May Cooper saying she was left “shaking” after finally meeting her crush, Shephard.

Speaking about his new appointment, Shephard said: “This really feels like a very special moment for Cat and I to be part of the next chapter of This Morning. It’s an honour to be trusted with the reigns, join Alison and Dermot and all the team that work on and off screen and do such a great job.

“For the last 10 years I’ve been waking up with our ITV daytime audience on GMB and I now look forward to spending time with Cat, welcoming the viewers home after the school run or from their early morning routines, with a cup of tea and a mix of everything that makes This Morning so loved.”

Meanwhile, Deeley, who called the daytime show “a national institution”, added: “This Morning is and always will be the viewer’s show. Ben and I both know how much people love it, and with the help of an amazing team of people, we’re going to do our best to take care of it.”

This Morning’s Editor, Martin Frizell, called Deeley and Shephard’s hiring as the show’s full-time hosts “the start of another exciting chapter in the show’s 35 year journey”.

With additional reporting from PA.