Cat Deeley has kicked off her hosting stint on This Morning by joking that she and co-presenter Rylan Clark are “two of the naughtiest people” to be let onto ITV. The 47-year-old will be presenting for three days – alongside Clark (35) again on Tuesday before she shares the sofa with Craig Doyle on Wednesday.
Deeley replaces Holly Willoughby as the main host
Deeley is filling in for Holly Willoughby, who left the show in October after 14 years in the role. Willoughby, 42, announced her departure in a heartfelt statement, saying she wanted to spend more time with her family and pursue other projects. She also thanked her co-host Phillip Schofield and the This Morning team for their support and friendship.
Deeley and Willoughby, both former models, rose to fame on children’s TV, including presenting the music program CD: UK on ITV. Deeley went on to host ITV’s Stars In Their Eyes and the BBC’s Fame Academy before moving to the US, where she hosted the popular competition show So You Think You Can Dance for more than a decade. Willoughby, meanwhile, became one of the most popular presenters on British TV, hosting Dancing On Ice, Celebrity Juice, The Voice UK and I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
Fans go wild for Deeley and Clark’s chemistry
Deeley and Clark, who have been friends for years, showed off their chemistry and humor on their first day on the sofa. They opened the show by saying: “Can you believe they’ve let two of the naughtiest people on TV on live TV together.” They also teased each other about their outfits, with Deeley joking that Clark looked like a “sexy geography teacher” and Clark complimenting Deeley’s “gorgeous” dress.
Fans quickly praised the duo on social media, with many saying they were the “perfect choice” to host the show. One user wrote: “Cat Deeley and Rylan Clark are brilliant on This Morning. They have such a natural rapport and are so funny. Love them.” Another said: “Cat Deeley is a breath of fresh air on This Morning. She’s so warm, bubbly and genuine. And Rylan is hilarious as always. They make a great team.”
Deeley and Clark promise more fun and surprises
Deeley and Clark have promised to bring more fun and surprises to the show during their three-day stint. They revealed that they will be playing Wonkey Donkey, a game from the ITV children’s program SMTV Live, which was presented by Deeley with Ant and Dec in the late 90s and early 2000s. They also hinted that some celebrity guests might join them on the show, including Sir Michael Palin, Bobbi Brown, and Nisha Katona.
Deeley said that she was excited to be back on British TV and to work with Clark, whom she described as “one of the nicest people in the business”. She said: “I’m so happy to be here. It feels like coming home. And I love working with Rylan. He’s so funny and kind and he always makes me laugh.” Clark said that he was honored to host the show with Deeley, whom he called “a legend”. He said: “I’ve always admired Cat and I’m so glad we get to do this together. She’s amazing and I can’t wait to see what we get up to.”
