Ben Shephards Career Crisis: Sleepless Nights Ahead!

Ben Shephard has revealed the midlife crisis career decision that left him 'traumatised' and battling sleepless nights.

The This Morning host, 51, told the Daily Mail he is finally enjoying a 'lie-in' after decades of 3.30am alarms while fronting Good Morning Britain.

But it was his latest project that truly pushed the father of two out of his comfort zone - leaving him anxiously waking in the middle of the night.

In an exclusive interview, Ben described the 'adrenaline' of presenting live TV as 'addictive', but admitted he was gripped by nerves when he competed on The Masked Singer, where he was crowned runner-up as Conkers in Saturday's final.

He said: 'Doing live TV is the most joyous thing in the world because no one can make you do it again, but it also comes with the jeopardy that if it goes wrong, or if you say the wrong thing, you're responsible. Once you're used to it - that's the bit you rely on. The adrenaline is very addictive.

'There is certainly the sense of anticipation before every show - but the only time I get nervous is when I feel I'm out of my depth like The Masked Singer, when I really question my life choices.'

Ben Shephard has revealed the midlife crisis career decision that left him 'traumatised' and battling sleepless nights 

The This Morning host, who co-presents the show with Cat Deeley, told the Daily Mail that he is finally relishing a lie-in after decades of 3.30am alarms while fronting Good Morning Britain

It was his latest project that truly pushed the father of two out of his comfort zone - leaving him anxiously waking in the middle of the night (pictured September 2025)

Joking about the timing, Ben added: 'Basically, doing The Masked Singer, I was slap bang in the middle of a midlife crisis but what was much better than getting a fast car, was to surround myself in a beautiful Conkers costume.

'I had so many flipping songs and lyrics to learn, I would wake up in the middle of the night, and I would try and go for a wee, and I would have to sing the song three times in my head before I could go.

'Ah man, it was so traumatic, I had no sleep, it was relentless and brilliant at the same time. It was this crazy juxtaposition of this incredible rush when it was done and the trauma of doing even more tomorrow because we filmed every other day.'

Ben narrowly missed out on being crowned winner of The Masked Singer, losing to former Sugababes star Keisha Buchanan, who performed as Moth.

But the presenter admitted he was left 'mortified' after belting out his own version of JLS hit Everybody In Love despite Marvin Humes being in the very same line-up as Can of Worms.

Keeping his identity under wraps proved even trickier given his close friendship with host Joel Dommett, who is not only a dear friend but also his podcast co-host.

He said: 'I can't tell you how intense that experience is, especially when you're not a professional singer. That moment when the reveal happened and I had been sitting next to the judges on the panel as well, Joel collapsing was just hilarious.

'Lots of people had been suggesting I was Can of Worms, which was the brilliant Marvin Humes, I murdered a JLS song in front of Marvin, I was mortified.'

Ben narrowly missed out on being crowned winner of The Masked Singer, losing to former Sugababes star Keisha Buchanan, who performed as Moth 

Keeping his identity under wraps proved even trickier given his close friendship with host Joel Dommett, who is not only a dear friend but also his podcast co-host 

Ben joined This Morning in March 2024 alongside Cat Deeley, 49, replacing former hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby.

Phil left the show with immediate effect in May 2023 after more than 20 years at the helm, following his admission to an inappropriate relationship with a younger male colleague. 

Holly later quit the daytime programme in October 2023 amid reports their once-close friendship had broken down - a turbulent period that saw loyal viewers drift away from the flagship show.

But since stepping into the presenting hot seats, Ben insists it is his close partnership with Cat that has helped steer This Morning back to its best.

He said: 'Cat has been brilliant - she hadn't done a show like This Morning with that high volume of turnover of content and live shows every single day which can be quite relentless, and she has taken to it like a duck to water. 

'She is genuinely curious by all of our guests and has this lovely sense of joy about life and that's been lovely. It's been lovely getting to know her and working alongside her. 

'It's a show I've worked on, on and off for years, and we are both hugely proud to be the current custodians of what is unquestionably the viewers' show. 

'We get told in no uncertain terms if they think we're doing a great job and also if they don't like what we have done. This Morning is all about the viewers, and it's always been about reflecting what's great about this country of ours. 

'We have such a range of guests which can be from the sublime to the ridiculous - it's what keeps people talking and engaged. All of life is there for everybody to enjoy and we're lucky we get to sit and have a front row seat for it.' 

As he approached the milestone age of 50, Ben decided to push himself like never before - putting his mind and body to the test by stripping off for the cover of Men's Health, proudly showing off his chiselled physique.

Long committed to a healthy lifestyle, the presenter had little choice during his gruelling years on breakfast TV, balancing punishing early starts with family life at home with wife Annie and sons Sam, 20, and Jack, 19. 

But in 2024 he went even further, vowing to get into the best shape of his life. He cut out alcohol and sugar completely as part of a strict regime designed to make his body as strong as possible.

Ahead of his 50th birthday, Ben pushed himself to get in the best shape of his life, going alcohol and sugar-free in preparation for a magazine cover shoot 

He said he hoped to motivate his fanbase with the challenge because many see him as 'that bloke off the TV'

Now, Ben insists his health drive isn't about maintaining a six-pack - but about longevity.

He said: 'When I was on Good Morning Britain, I had to get up at 3.30am everyday so I have certainly been enjoying the last couple of years since I've had a bit of a lie-in. Every day I get a three hour lie-in and that's never lost on me.

'I did more or less 20 years of early mornings and they don't get any easier ever and you wear them physically and emotionally. My routine has always been about being able to cope with less sleep and being mentally agile very early.

'On This Morning, I get up at 6.30am, which is a normal routine, I get up, make my wife a cup of tea, get to work and meet the team and go through what we're doing.'

Reflecting on how his routine and career had shaped him, he revealed that reaching 50 inspired him to set a new physical challenge and rethink how he wanted to embrace the next chapter of his life. 

Ben added: 'I turned 50 last year and set myself a physical challenge about turning 50 and how I was going to approach the next stage.

'The reality is, I probably have less time ahead of me that I have already lived, and I want to make sure every single one of those days, I live to the most extreme it can possibly be. Whether that is being with my family, at work, being out and about on adventures and how you look and how you feel is very important.

'I have a very busy life - I do a job I absolutely love and there are lots of things I want to be able to keep doing that I don't want to compromise on. 

'I have kept it up, but I'm not quite as strict on the drinking as I was, and I certainly allow myself to have more sugar than I did in the run up to the Men's Health shoot, but I love knowing more about the process. Small changes can make the most enormous difference to your physiology and how quickly action leads to motivation as well. 

'Hopefully, me doing it, that bloke off the TV that everyone wakes up with - if I can do it - why can't anybody else?'

Ben has been married to his wife, Annie, for 21 years, and the couple now live in a 10-bedroom mansion in Richmond, having moved into the property at the end of last year 

The presenter is a proud father to sons Sam, 20, and Jack, 19, whom he credits as the inspiration behind his new business venture 

Ben's commitment to living a full and healthy life, which recently saw him move into a 10-bedroom Grade II-listed mansion in Richmond, London, reportedly for around £3.5million, has inspired him to launch a skincare range.

Alongside Joel, and born out of their podcast The Business Men, the pair are developing a new brand, Joel And Ben For Skin.

As two men in their 40s and 50s with careers in primetime television, they recognised the importance of focusing on skincare while also seeing that younger generations of men are increasingly keen to stay refreshed and revitalised from an early age.

Ben said: 'We have a long way to go before we have physical product on the shelves but it was an idea dreamed up between me and Joel, we love that we have been lucky enough to work with some amazing skincare experts, and brilliant makeup artists and dermatologists, and come to the importance of looking after our skin.

'I am a man in my 50s and Joel has just turned 40 - we both have boys and mine are obviously teenagers, but Joel's son Wilde is much younger, and they have another baby on the way.

'I have watched how my boys have looked after themselves - we have shifted a lot, young people these days are so open about wanting to look their best and feel their best.

'Joel and I have had the incredible expertise of people over the years and feel like there's an opportunity for us to create a men's skincare range that's high performance and low effort that is a bit of a laugh as well. 

'Men want it to be simple and easy and we want to have a laugh about it as well. We're enjoying the process and taking it seriously but also have a laugh along the way.'

Alongside Joel, and born out of their podcast The Business Men, the pair are developing a new brand, Joel And Ben For Skin

Indeed, the pair even put their bodies on the line in honour of their latest business venture.

Their podcast listeners and loyal fanbase turned out in their thousands, taking part in a skincare survey that allowed Ben and Joel to gather crucial market research.

But in a bid to encourage even more men to get involved, the duo upped the stakes. 

They vowed that whoever secured the fewest sign-ups would have to get their nipple pierced. It was Joel, 40, who is married to model Hannah Cooper, who ultimately lost the challenge.

Ben recalled: 'My knees gave way when I realised it was going to be Joel, because Annie said, "If you get your nipple pierced, don't come home!" There was a lot riding on it. And to be fair, Joel's wife Hannah was equally displeased.

'I'll be forever traumatised by watching that piercing happen. Joel is a pretty robust individual, but that was real pain when the needle went in - and I was only inches away.'