Richard and Judy 'delighted' to be returning to This Morning after 18 years

Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan on This Morning in 1988

We can hardly believe it's been 18 years since Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan left This Morning - having presented the show for 13 years since its launch.

And now the couple - who have been married for 33 years - are set to return to take the helm once more.

Richard, 63, and Judy, 71, will host the hit ITV daytime show on Friday 25th October from 10.30am and are "delighted" to be given the opportunity to take a trip down memory lane.

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This Morning, Eamonn Holmes, Ruth Langsford

On their highly-anticipated return, they said: "This Morning holds a very special place in our hearts, so we couldn’t be more delighted to take the helm once again."

The Friday slot is usually hosted by Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford, but with Half Term landing that week it seems Eamonn and Ruth could be replacing Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby in the usual Monday-Thursday slot.

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Richard and Judy's decision to return to the famous sofa is a bit of a U-turn after Judy famously retired from showbiz for health reasons back in 2018.

Her daughter, Chloe Madeley, revealed: "My mum is done with TV and if she went back to it I don’t think it would make her happy.

“She wants to concentrate on other things, such as her health and our family.”

Richard - who once described his wife as "the most reluctant TV presenter I've ever known" - said he had no plans to retire and was happy continuing alone.

A photo posted by on

‘The difference between me and Judy is that she has no interest in going back into television,’ Richard revealed. "She's done it its over. There’s nothing that appeals to her about it."

But, clearly something has changed and This Morning Editor Martin Frizell said "the time finally felt right".

"The This Morning family, both in the studio and at home, have been wanting to see Richard and Judy guest present the show for a while now," he said. "The time finally felt right and we can’t wait to have these broadcasting legends back on the sofa."

We can't wait either!

Georgia normally writes across Woman & Home and Goodto specializing in all things royal. She has also written for What to Watch. Labeled the "Queen of the royals," Georgia knows exactly who's who and what's what when it comes to the monarchy. When she's not eagerly following the royal family, Georgia enjoys shopping and self-care. She lives with this motto in mind: "if your dreams don't scare you, they aren't big enough."