This Morning’s new hosts confirmed: Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard are unveiled as Holly and Phil’s permanent replacements… as US TV star FINALLY says yes to bumper cash deal

Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard have been unveiled as the new hosts of This Morning, ITV revealed on Friday.

The pair, aged 47 and 49 respectively, have been locked in talks for some months following the exit of Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield and are now set to make their debut next month following the news.

The news was confirmed via a bespoke promo on This Morning’s Twitter, showing Ben walking down the familiar This Morning production corridor and placing a new photo of Cat on the wall, before turning to the camera as the photo comes to life. 

Ben said: ‘This really feels like a very special moment for Cat and I to be part of the next chapter of This Morning. It’s an honour to be trusted with the reigns, join Alison and Dermot and all the team that work on and off screen and do such a great job.

‘For the last ten years I’ve been waking up with our ITV daytime audience on GMB and I now look forward to spending time with Cat…

‘Welcoming the viewers home after the school run or from their early morning routines, with a cup of tea and a mix of everything that makes This Morning so loved.’

Cat added: ‘This Morning is a national institution. Whenever it’s on, it’s like having your friends over – funny, smart, silly, heartfelt, informative and joyful – like all the greatest friendships!…

‘This Morning is and always will be the viewer’s show. Ben and I both know how much people love it, and with the help of an amazing team of people, we’re going to do our best to take care of it.’

During the show, Friday hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary discussed the news, showing a throwback snap of Dermot, Andi Peters and Ben.  Dermot joked: ‘Ben at T4 that’s actually from last week!’, while Alison replied: ‘Look at Andi Peters!’

Moving on to Cat, Dermot said: I’ve known Cat for so long’, while Alison revealed she first met Cat at a party in Los Angeles about four years ago and they bonded over both being from Birmingham.

She told Dermot: ‘I met her in LA. We’re both Brummies. I met her about four years ago, we met in LA at a party. We are so so happy they are joining the family Ben and Cat. This is going to be so so nice’.

Dermot said: ‘The secret is out!’, while Alison revealed: ‘They are joining us in March’.

This Morning’s Editor, Martin Frizell said: ‘The team and I have relished the opportunity to try new things these past few months and remind viewers what a massively talented team both on and off screen we have here at This Morning…

‘We can’t wait to welcome Ben and Cat fully into the fold next month and witness the start of another exciting chapter in the show’s 35 year journey.’

Managing Director, ITV Studios Daytime, Emma Gormley added: ‘I feel immensely proud of everyone working on This Morning – for a programme that has evolved many times over the last 35 years, it remains just as relevant and exciting as ever…

‘We are thrilled to have Ben and Cat as our new This Morning hosts and cannot wait to see them on that famous sofa together soon.’

Sources at the channel say that they are ‘thrilled’ at the signing of the pair after ‘so many obstacles had to be negotiated to get there,’ according to one source. Their appointment will be discussed on Friday’s episode of This Morning.

The Mail first revealed that the duo were top of the list but in December Cat turned down the role because she wasn’t able to commit the time to the programme.

However, after further negotiations and the offer of more money, she agreed. One source said: ‘Cat was the one they wanted all along and finally they have her. It is incredible news for them.’

It comes after it was revealed it was revealed that Cat is in a stand-off with ITV bosses over her new post and her long-time role on So You Think You Can Dance. 

Last month, insiders revealed Cat and Ben had scooped the coveted roles of permanent hosts in the wake of stalwart stars Holly and Phil leaving. 

It was alleged that Cat wanted Rylan Clark as a co-host rather than Ben and will ‘not receive special treatment’ to permit her Monday to Thursday role on This Morning and continue her £344k-a season role on the American dance show.

Sources revealed: ‘Cat will not get any special treatment… She will absolutely not be given time off to film the next series of So You Think You Can Dance. So she has to make that decision, it’s one or the other, end of.’ 

Cat is said to have ‘really wanted the job’ but had concerns over her husband Patrick Kielty’s commitments in Ireland and how they would juggle the jobs. 

The insider continued: ‘Cat told friends that she wanted the job, if ‘she could make it work.’ However, she also feared that Patrick’s commitments in Ireland made things very tricky for her to take the job. She also really, really wanted to do it with Rylan.’

When reports of Cat joining the show first emerged last year it was claimed she and Ben would receive an annual salary of £555,000. 

While hefty, the salary still paled in comparison to former hosts Holly and Phil, who were said to have been paid £700,000 annually for their role. 

However, Cat isn’t short of cash as she currently earns at least £344,000 a season hosting So You Think You Can Dance in the States, where she is said to be paid £43,000 an episode. 

The new series is set to air in March and Cat has been dividing her time between the States and the UK for filming. 

As Cat Deeley scoops permanent This Morning hosting role – is she set to DOUBLE her already lucrative earnings?

Prior to Cat being announced as the show’s permanent host on Friday, it was reported that she left bosses devastated when she then turned down the main gig late last year. 

Last month, reports surfaced claiming that producers went back to the drawing board to try and woo the former children’s TV star and were set to announce as her the new Monday to Thursday host alongside Ben Shephard. 

It’s possible the reason for the sudden U-turn was financial, with Cat set to nab a bumper payday as the new host. 

When reports of her joining the show first emerged last year it was claimed she and Ben would receive an annual salary of £555,000. 

While hefty, the salary still paled in comparison to former hosts Holly and Phil, who were said to have been paid £700,000 annually for their role. 

However, Cat isn’t short of cash as she currently earns at least £344,000 a season hosting So You Think You Can Dance in the States, where she is said to be paid £43,000 an episode. 

The new series is set to air in March and Cat has been dividing her time between the States and the UK for filming. 

Tongues were wagging over what she would do about her This Morning contract – and how it would either allow her to continue juggling her LA gig. 

If she does decide to keep both jobs it won’t be for financial reasons, however, as brand and culture expert Nick Ede revealed she could double her This Morning salary with brand deals online. 

Nick told MailOnline: ‘Cat is popular in the style stakes and I can see her making a lot of money partnering with brands like John Lewis and M&S who will be vying for her to wear their items. 

‘She could earn over £200,000 from fashion collabs and she also has her own fragrance which I am sure will fly off the shelves.

‘I can also see her potentially collaborating with a brand like Charlotte Tilbury or L’Oréal and for these she could earn a cool £250,000.

‘Cat is the perfect presenter for This Morning. She has a big fanbase of people who grew up with her on a Saturday morning and she’s always been a safe pair of hands. 

‘She has a great reputation for being lots of fun but she can also balance difficult discussion points too which is why she will make a winning pairing with Ben. 

‘What’s also really great for a brand about Cat is that she has a big appeal in the USA as the host of the hit show So You Think You Dance so if they are looking to expand or create brand deals in the UK and US she’s the perfect person to do it.’ 

Cat and Ben’s decision to join the show was reported earlier this month, with insiders saying: ‘The cat’s out of the bag – they are the new dream team. ITV is planning to announce Cat and Ben as their new star pairing in March…

‘Obviously Ben is well known and loved by the ITV daytime audience thanks to his many years on the breakfast sofa. Cat is also a very recognisable face, thanks to her long stint of working on kids’ TV, although she’s been over in the US for a long time…

‘People were very impressed with her guest presenting stint last year alongside Rylan and thankfully the timing has all come together. Everyone is delighted.’

It comes after it was reported late last year that Cat had ‘turned down’ the job offer. 

Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond look set to continue as the show’s regular Friday and school holiday presenters. 

It comes after Holly left the show last October ‘for the sake of her family’ after discovering she was the target of a foiled kidnap and murder plot and has since not been replaced permanently. 

It came five months after Phillip Schofield’s departure after his affair with a young male showrunner was made public, followed by claims of an increasingly strained relationship with his co-host.

Cat – who is married to fellow presenter Patrick Kielty – began her career as a co-presenter for the ITV children’s show SMTV Live, for which she won a BAFTA Children’s Award, and its spin-off chart show CD:UK. 

Meanwhile Ben joined GMB in 2014 and has been with them ever since and is one of their most loved stars. 

It comes after it was claimed that This Morning staff are ‘livid’ that a regular presenting team has not been put in place yet since Holly and Phillip’s departure from the show last year.

Alison and Dermot, and Josie Gibson and Craig Doyle have stepped in to front the show for now, while Sian Welby and Rochelle Humes have also appeared.

It was previously claimed Alison was a front-runner for the regular spot but she declined to focus on other projects and is said to be backing Josie for the job. 

It comes after Sian Welby impressed viewers as she took the helm with Dermot last week.

A source told the Mail: ‘Sian has done a fantastic job and everyone totally loves her.

‘She is a massive breath of fresh air, she has come along and just wowed everyone. 

‘She has been a joy to watch for the viewers but also editor Martin Frizell and other executives on the show and they think she has the ability to grow and grow on the show and become the next Holly.

‘It mustn’t be forgotten that Holly was like her once and look what happened to her, she was the host for 14 years. 

‘Martin and Emma are both agreed that she has got what it takes to be a star, it is really exciting and she is very much in a pole position for the job now. 

‘Sian is seen to be by far better than some of the presenters who have hosted the show in recent months.’

Meanwhile, Holly is reportedly being eyed-up for presenting roles in the US after making her way back on to UK screens.

The TV host returned to the airwaves this month on Dancing On Ice.

It is now claimed she could head over to America for work, with the star hopeful it will also boost her lifestyle brand.

An insider told The Sun: ‘Holly’s a free agent and for the first time in years she’s free to be courted by these huge streaming platforms.

‘A number of US networks and production companies have been interested in her for a while and she’s caught the attention of some major brands.

‘She has true star pulling power and as well as being glamorous she is a polished professional in front of the camera. It’s an exciting time in her career.’

It is claimed Holly is hoping to use any boost of exposure in the United States to push her lifestyle brand Wylde Moon, which has been compared to Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop.

The source added: ‘Holly has made it no secret that she is following the Gwyneth Paltrow brand model. Launching herself Stateside could make those dreams a reality.’

MailOnline contacted a representative for Holly for comment.