Ben Shephard is departing Good Morning Britain after 10 years of hosting the ITV show to join This Morning as a new co-host.
Last week, it was confirmed that Ben would be joining Cat Deeley as the new permanent hosts of the long-running magazine show, following Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield's respective departures.
Due to his new role, he is stepping down from Good Morning Britain where he has regularly hosted alongside Kate Garraway, so it was a bittersweet morning as they confirmed he was doing his final episode this Friday (February 21).
Speaking during Thursday's episode, Ben joked: "I’m upgrading from Kate to Cat."
While Kate Garraway assured viewers: "We are not going to talk about it all morning, but you may notice a few digs in the show."
Continuing on, Ben said: "Thank you very much for the amazing messages that I’ve had, obviously it’s something I considered very, very carefully, because these guys have been my family for the last 10 years some of them, way longer."
Elsewhere on the show, they were discussing Coronation Street character Mary Taylor, who said in an episode that aired on Valentine’s Day that she would be "crying into my Ben Shephard cushion", which has become an iconic moment.
Referencing the scene in question, Kate said: "We are all going to be doing that tomorrow. At Good Morning Britain we are losing him."
Ben also shared the sad news on Instagram, where he wrote: "Two days and counting @kategarraway ❤️", and fans have flocked to the comments to send well wishes and say he'll be missed.
In a statement confirming his move, 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 reins, 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."
