It’s been about a month since Phillip Schofield departed This Morning, and ITV has finally provided an update on his replacement.
After weeks of speculation that Schofield, 61, and long-time co-host Holly Willoughby, 42, had split up, the TV presenter announced his departure from the breakfast show on May 20, only to reveal a week later that he was leaving the broadcaster with her after admitting to lying about an affair with a young colleague.
Alison Hammond had been leading the programme alongside Dermot O’Leary and Craig Doyle in the weeks before Holly returned from her sabbatical.
This week, she co-hosted with Josie Gibson and Craig.
While ITV is yet to reveal who will permanently join Holly on the show from Mondays through Thursdays in the future, the network has signalled that a decision is near.
ITV indicated it will make more announcements about future hosts of the show “in due time.”
‘In the meantime, we will draw on the This Morning family for presenters to co-present with Holly,’ they added in a statement to The Journal.
In the weeks after Schofield’s departure, names such as Alison, Dermot, Rylan Clark, Gino D’Acampo, Gyles Brandreth, and even Piers Morgan have been thrown into the ring.
However, many show fans have already stated their preference for a replacement, with Craig emerging as a choice.
The Irish broadcaster has been well received by viewers, with one calling him’refreshing’ on social media.
Many fans supported Craig, 52, during the event on Thursday, with many stating they were delighted by his sense of humour.
‘PLEASE make Craig Doyle the permanent Mon-Fri presenter with Holly. He is brilliant! So charming and likeable, plus a professional too,’ one person pleaded in a Twitter post.
Another said he was a ‘credible presenter with a great Irish sense of humour’.
Others, meanwhile, couldn’t get their brains around his age and expressed surprise when they realised he was older than they assumed.
Craig joined This Morning in 2021, first presenting competition spots until joining Alison on the softa in May 2022 as a guest presenter. Craig is most recognised for his work on networks such as BBC, ITV, BT Sport, and Irish network RTÉ.
He is well renowned as the principal anchor for BT Sport’s rugby coverage, and he formerly hosted the RTÉ One discussion show Tonight with Craig Doyle and RTÉ Two’s Craig Doyle Live from 2011 to 2013.
This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1.
