TV & Showbiz

ITV announces Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard as new permanent This Morning presenters

They will replace Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 16th February 2024

ITV has announced that Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard will be taking over as the new permanent presenters of This Morning.

The pair will replace departed longtime hosting duo, Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby.

Schofield and Willoughby stepped down from their presenting roles at the troubled show in May and October respectively – with Schofield first thought to have chosen to depart after reports of a rift with Willoughby, but a week later, publicly admitted to lying about having an affair with a younger colleague during his time at ITV.

Willoughby, on the other hand, left her role several months later and cited taking time “for me and my family” as her reason.

The broadcasting company announced the news exclusively on the official This Morning social media channels earlier today, with a specially-made commercial introducing the two seasoned presenters and confirming their new roles.

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Deeley and Shephard have been two of a rotating lineup of guest presenters of the show in recent months, but have now been confirmed to be taking over permanently.

“This really feels like a very special moment for Cat and I to be part of the next chapter of This Morning,” Shephard commented as his new permanent presenting role was announced today.

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“It’s an honour to be trusted with the reins, join Alison and Dermot and all the team that work on and off screen, and do such a great job. 

“For the last 10 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.”

ITV has announced Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard as the new permanent This Morning presenters / Credit: ITV

Cat added: “This Morning is a national institution.

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“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.”

Deeley and Shephard will make their debut hosting This Morning next month, and will front the Monday to Thursday shows.

Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary will then present on Fridays.

Speaking on Deeley and Shephard’s new roles, Emma Gormley – who is the Managing Director at ITV Studios Daytime – said: “I feel immensely proud of everyone working on This Morning, as for a programme that has evolved many times over the last 35 years, it remains just as relevant and exciting as ever.

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“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.”

Featured Image – ITV

TV & Showbiz

Castlefield is being transformed into Gotham amidst more Hollywood filming in Greater Manchester

Danny Jones Danny Jones Clayface Batman villain DC movie filming in Castlefield, Manchester

Castlefield, with its iconic viaduct and cobbled streets, is once again being used for big-budget filming as the latest Batman/DC Universe title, Clayface, looks to be setting up in the eye-catching Manc corner.

Whether it’s football kit reveals and brand shoots, BBC dramas or the next upcoming Netflix series, production crews can’t get enough of Castlefield, it would seem.

For those who hadn’t heard, work on the new Clayface movie revolving around the cult favourite Batman villain is well underway, and the North West has been used as the backdrop on multiple ocassions this month already.

You can see early glimpses of the set being put together down below.

https://x.com/TheMancUK/status/1967944490360226167

Come on, how cool is it that we get to stumble on stuff like this right on our doorstep so often?

Speaking to The Manc, a source detailed that the set is being assembled today (Tuesday, 16 September) ahead of a single day of principal photography on what we can only assume is more Clayface filming sometime tomorrow.

While she could not confirm with us directly, she said, “If you’re a comic book nerd and look at the posters, you’ll be able to figure it out.” We’ve certainly been studying all the easter eggs already.

It might not quite be as dark and gritty as Gotham City, but this particular part of Manchester has been used in TV and film – especially period dramas – many times for good reason.

The Victorian-era steel structure, dark red brick and overall industrial aesthetic work so well when it comes to creating a believable and cinematic world.

Besides perhaps the most famous instance of Peaky Blinders shooting in these parts, you can add multiple music videos, several Manchester United and Man City shirt launches, and so many more that we’re starting to lose track.

As for Clayface, this isn’t even the first time the upcoming DC ‘body-horror’ flick has popped up in Greater Manchester.

Last week saw the equally striking Art Deco facade of the old The Plaza Super Cinema in Stockport turned into a fictional movie premiere to stunning effect:

We can’t get enough of stuff like this; we know there have been plenty of instances of Hollywood films and various TV projects utilising our streets and increasingly recognisable surroundings, but it still makes us feel like excited little kids.

Speaking of, another childhood favourite is filming here in Manchester right now, too.

Besides perhaps the most famous instance of Peaky Blinders shooting in these parts, the new Narnia adaptation by Greta Gerwig may just be one of the biggest projects that has ever landed underneath the familiar ‘birdcage’.

ln fact, it just so happens that there are actually multiple noteworthy small and silver screen works fighting over the Castlefield shooting schedule at the moment…

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — The Manc Group

TV & Showbiz

Warrington-born Adolescence star Owen Cooper becomes youngest ever male Emmy winner

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Owen Cooper Emmys

Owen Cooper has made history.

The Warrington-born actor who burst onto the scene as a newcomer in the Netflix smash-hit drama series Adolescence, starring alongside other big names like Stephen Graham, Erin Doherty, and Ashley Walters, has become the youngest winner ever in any male acting category at last nights Emmy Awards 2025.

He took home the award for Best Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series.

At just 15 years old, Cooper beat out his fellow co-star Ashley Walters for the award, as well as other renowned actors like Javier Bardem, Peter Sarsgaard, and Rob Delaney.

Adolescence, if you haven’t had a chance to watch it yet, is a four-part limited series about a 13-year-old boy who is accused of murdering one of his classmates – with each episode remarkably being filmed in one unflinching and continuous shot.

The truly gripping story unfolds in real time as the main characters search for answers in the wake of a shocking tragedy.

Who is actually responsible? Why did it happen? And could it have been prevented? 

Adolescence
Adolescence gained universal critical acclaim when it debuted on Netflix earlier this year / Credit: Netflix

Cooper was a complete screen newcomer starring as the young boy Eddie Miller, accused of murder, and the show tells the story of how a family’s world is turned upside because of it.

Taking to the stage to accept his award last night, Cooper – who began taking weekly acting lessons with The Drama Mob here in Manchester – said: “[The win] is just so surreal. Honestly, when I started these drama classes a couple years back, I didn’t expect to be even in the United States, never mind [at The Emmys].

“So I think tonight proves that if you listen and you focus and you step out your comfort zone, you can achieve anything in life.”

Elsewhere on the night, Adolescence cleaned up as a whole.

Co-creator and star of the show, Stephen Graham, took home the Best Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series award, as well as a Writing award alongside co-writer Jack Thorne, while Erin Doherty claimed the Best Supporting Actress accolade in the same category, and director Philip Barantini won the Best Director award.

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And of course, to top off all those brilliant acting and technical wins, the show Adolescence itself also won Best Limited or Anthology Series.

You can watch Owen Cooper’s acceptance speech in full here.

Featured Image – Television Academy / Emmys (via YouTube)

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