Good Morning Britain viewers were left wondering where Richard Madeley was on Tuesday morning's show as Adil Ray appeared alongside Susanna Reid.
Richard, 66, was absent from the programme for the second day this week, leaving ITV viewers speculating if the presenting shake-up could be down to a rift with Susanna.
Richard has had a recurring role on the ITV breakfast show, where he usually sits alongside Susanna Reid from Monday through to Wednesdays each week, as part of a group of male co-presenters that join her on the show after Piers Morgan left.
Taking to Twitter, one wrote: “Beginning to look like Richard Madeley and Susanna Reid have fallen out.”
Another post directed at Adil, 48, read: “This alleged feud between Madeley and Reid is really benefiting you work wise, eh Adil?”
A third tweeted: “Well I'm taking this as Reid can't work with Madeley anymore.”
A number of viewers celebrated the absence of the gaffe-prone presenter, with one writing: “I’m so glad Madeley isn’t at work this week, can you imagine him discussing the overturning of Roe v Wade? How deeply offensive he would be?
“I suspect Susanna is glad she doesn’t have to be on alert, waiting for him to put his foot in his mouth.”
But another viewer wrote: “Without the entertaining Richard Madely is an insomniac's dream.”
Feud rumours intensified earlier this year when Richard and Susanna failed to pose together at the BAFTA Television Awards.
Richard was seen arriving on the red carpet separately from the rest of the GMB team and his ITV co-star Susanna.
They failed to share a celebratory photo after their groundbreaking interview with former ISIS member Shamima Begum was nominated for a gong.
Richard Madeley has said he plans on taking a long break from presenting Good Morning Britain this summer.
Richard opened up about taking over the Good Morning Britain seat from his even more divisive predecessor Piers, after he kicked off an explosive row by making controversial comments about Meghan Markle ’s tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey.
During an appearance on Sunday Brunch, Richard revealed to hosts Simon Rimmer and Tim Lovejoy that he will be absent from Good Morning Britain in the coming months.
He said: “Since Piers left, as you know, his chair has been a kind of rotating gig and all sorts of presenters have come in and done it.
“It is true that of late I’ve kind of risen to the top of that pile I suppose. But I don’t know for how long as I’m on quite a short contract.”
Richard continued: “I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’ve got quite a big break in the summer, I’m going to France and then I’ll be back quite a lot in the autumn.
“But as for next year I have no idea and that’s fine for me. I’m not chasing it, you know.
“If they turn around and say ‘We’re relaunching the programme and thanks Richard for all the fish but we’re going to use so and so,’ that would be fine with me.”
