It has been a rollercoaster of a year for the team at This Morning after both Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield resigned from the show in 2023.
While new hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard have been settling into the role well since their debut in March, it seems fans aren’t entirely convinced.
Cat, 47, and Ben, 49, front the show from Monday to Thursday, but viewers are still treated to an episode from Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary every Friday.
And it seems some viewers would rather the latter duo took over full time as they begged for the pair to be given more airtime after Friday’s jam-packed episode, which even saw Alison debut her secret piano talent.
Taking to Twitter fans shared love for the pair as they gushed that ‘Fridays are the best days’ and argued that they have the edge over Cat and Ben.
This Morning viewers have begged for more Alison Hammond and Dermott O’Leary airtime as they admit they ‘would have made great main hosts’ after Friday’s episode of the show
While new hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard have been settling into the role well since their debut in March, it seems fans aren’t entirely convinced
They wrote: ‘How lovely it is to see Dermot and Alison on @thismorning today . Proper presenters’; ‘Fridays are the best days. Love Alison and Dermot! ‘
‘I love Alison & Dermot. They make me laugh so much. They’re so relaxed. I like Ben & Cat but not quite the same energy, early days.’; ‘Wow Alison such beautiful playing. Love it. You and Dermot are brilliant.’
‘I can’t believe I’m going to say this, I prefer Alison and Dermot to Cat and Ben, just so much more fun and livelier’; ‘@thismorning great to see Alison and Dermot on this morning. Brilliant team!!!’
Elsewhere fans on Instagram were in agreement as they commented on Alison’s recent post of her and Dermot laughing while hosting the show together.
They penned: ‘Why on earth these 2 weren’t given TM Monday to Friday is beyond me’; ‘I’ve loved Cat forever but I only watch TM on a Friday, no one beats the Dermot and Alison combo!’
‘Wish you two were on every day!’; ‘Alison is an absolute gem. A national treasure’; ‘My two favourites..please can they be on every day..cat and Ben are a no for me’.
‘Loved watching this morning with Alison playing the piano and Dermot doing the commentary, twas absolutely hilarious, they are such a funny pair, bless her Alison is always so cheerful no matter what.
‘I imagine she will let nothing get her down, tis always a joy to have both of them presenting the show and I feel I speak for a lot of people who would agree with me, long may they continue to cheer us up and lift our spirits in this dreary world’.
While Cat, 47, and Ben, 49, front the show from Monday to Thursday, viewers are still treated to an episode from Alison and Dermot every Friday – and it seems some viewers would rather the latter duo took over full time
Taking to Twitter fans shared love for the pair as they gushed that ‘Fridays are the best days’ and argued that they have the edge over Cat and Ben
Elsewhere fans on Instagram were in agreement as they commented on Alison’s recent post of her and Dermot laughing while hosting the show together
And it isn’t the first time fans have shared the sentiment, with other viewers also arguing the same earlier this week.
‘No thanks! never again as long as Cat Deeley is on sorry but she just isn’t right for the show, I will only watch now when Alison & Dermot are on ☹️ I have watched This Morning since 1997 when my son was born but it just isn’t the same anymore.’
‘I just watch the item on make-up bags. Cat non-stop bantering and repeating what Pauline is explaining so flipping annoying. #switch-off time. Why did #ITV change it? Bring back Alison, Dermot & Josie PLEASE’; ‘Bring back Alison and Dermot Fast’.
Fans were also left in awe after Alison wowed viewers with her secret piano talent when she opened the ITV programme with a song.
Perched at a grand piano, Alison played a beautiful tune while Dermot, chimed: ‘Welcome to the show today!’
Joking that Alison’s song was called ‘Le ode de Birmingham,’ Dermot temporarily broke her concentration as she burst out laughing.
Fans at home were equally impressed as they shared praise on social media: ‘There’s something utterly beautiful about the piano that was was beautiful’; ‘She’s brilliant’; ‘This is just beautiful I could cry.’
‘Well done Alison I listen to Richard Clayderman to go to sleep every night. I have a pillow speaker and set my phone to turn off the music after a certain time’; ‘ALISON HAMMOND, you were brilliant !!!!!! I watched it four times!!’; ‘Lovely to hear Alison performing her rendition of ‘au de Birmingham’
‘Wow Alison such beautiful playing. Love it. You and Dermot are brilliant.’; ‘Dermot singing love it Alison so talented.’
And it isn’t the first time fans have shared the sentiment, with other viewers also arguing the same earlier this week
Fans were also left in awe after Alison wowed viewers with her secret piano talent when she opened the ITV programme with a song
ITV bosses are celebrating after Cat and Ben beat last year’s viewing figures by 5 per cent. They attracted 4.5 million viewers in just a week
Meanwhile ITV bosses are celebrating after Cat and Ben beat last year’s viewing figures by 5 per cent.
During their three weeks on-air on the daytime show, viewing has been up compared to the average in the year to date and, during this time, has achieved its highest three performances of the year so far.
They attracted 4.5 million viewers in just a week and have also proven popular on digital platforms, with 27.7 million video views of the show on social media.
One ITV insider told the Mail: ‘The truth is that Ben and Cat have made a strong start in just three weeks on-air and everyone is delighted.
‘They’ve already had the top three performances of the year so far during the three weeks, and viewing has been up across those three weeks compared to the year to date average.
‘The bosses are thrilled, it has been a very long year for them… so to see figures that prove things are going so well is a huge boost for everyone involved. They are clearly very popular with the viewers.
‘Holly and Phil were on together for 14 years so it has been a long time since there has been a fresh relaunch – The overall view is that this has been a massive success, it’s great news.’
Cat and Ben pulled in 1.02 million viewers for their first show and have kept their audience steady since.
