This Morning has welcomed numerous new presenters in recent months, but fans of the show have suddenly rallied around one in particular.
Holly Willoughby, 42, has been presenting with numerous co-hosts, including Josie Gibson, Craig Doyle, and Dermot O’Leary, after the departure of long-term co-host Phillip Schofield in May.
According to reports, executives have opted against a permanent successor for Schofield, and Holly will remain the sole permanent fixture, with her co-stars rotating.
With Holly now on leave, Josie was joined by Steve Jones on Wednesday’s episode of ITV’s breakfast show, and viewers couldn’t get enough.
Even though the programme hasn’t concluded yet, viewers have voiced their thoughts on the addition of Steve to the cast.
‘I’d forgotten what a great TV presenter Steve Jones is. Actually – I’m not sure I ever realised! Great addition to This Morning and his Josie partnership already feels natural,’ one person posted on Twitter.
‘Steve Jones is doing a great job so far and he should be the perfect fit: natural, authoritative, warm, funny, good looking. I just feel that the show desperately needs to grow a new identity and needs somebody a little more left field. New feel, new set, new start.’
Many others had the same notion when it came to getting him on the regular presenting lineup, with one even proposing he should co-host with Craig Doyle.
‘Right then. Let’s have Craig Doyle and Steve Jones on together at some point. Reckon that’s a winning combo right there!’ someone suggested.
According to another, Steve may be giving the other regular presenters a run for their money.
‘The Steve Jones and Josie Gibson combo looks natural to me. Chemistry happening methinks. This needs further exploration, could be a ratings winner. Steve Jones is a safe pair of hands. Competition for Dermot!’ they wrote.
They did, however, advise that a duo presenting together may be a winner.
‘There’s an idea, a two men double hander.’
Others had some very specific reasons for wanting to see them team up too.
‘Can we have Steve Jones and Craig Doyle hosting together please? You know because of their wonderful presenting and umm has nothing to do with how they look, that would be sexist of course,’ someone cheekily commented.
According to a source, ITV executives anticipated Steve would be a star and join the show’s team of presenters ahead of his debut.
The source told the Daily Mail: ‘The hope is that those watching at home will love Steve, he’s a very experienced broadcaster but also very cheeky.
‘Hopefully he will be part of the new dawn for This Morning after the Schofield scandal and will help to give it a fresh new look.’
Steve began his presenting career in the late 1990s, working on the staple weekend TV show T4, before moving on to work on BBC One’s Lets Dance for Comic Relief with Claudia Winkleman and presenting the first series of The X Factor USA in the United States alongside Nicole Scherzinger.
The Welsh TV personality is now in charge of Channel 4’s F1 coverage.
This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1.
