Former Loose Women panelist Jane McDonald has been busy in rehearsals as she gets set to host the British Soap Awards this evening.
The glittering event, which will air on ITV on Tuesday, June 6, was previously set to be hosted by former This Morning presenter Phillip Schofield until he stepped down from the role last week. Jane was later announced as his replacement.
Schofield quit the role after news of his affair with a younger colleague broke. His admission that he lied over the relationship also saw him dropped by ITV and his management team, writes The Mirror.
Schofield has hosted the British Soap Awards for 17 years . The event recognises programmes such as Emmerdale, EastEnders, Doctors and Coronation Street for their work throughout the year.
Pictures of new presenter Jane in rehearsals emerged ahead of the event.
Earlier this week Jane spoke out about taking over as host for the British Soap Awards as she said: "I'm so excited to be this year's host for The British Soap Awards!!
"Everyone knows how much I LOVE my soaps, this year I’ve been honoured to be mentioned in Corrie, EastEnders and Emmerdale so this is just a dream come true.
"I can’t wait to see all our wonderful soap nominees and celebrate all their hard work with them - roll on the awards, I can’t wait!"
Despite stepping back from This Morning, Phil was supposed to still be presenting the Soap Awards until it later emerged he was quitting ITV altogether with the channel confirming they would no longer be working with him.
In Phil's statement, he said: "I did have a consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague at This Morning. Contrary to speculation, whilst I met the man when he was a teenager and was asked to help him to get into television, it was only after he started to work on the show that it became more than just a friendship. That relationship was unwise, but not illegal. It is now over."
He also said: "I have therefore decided to step down from the British Soap Awards, my last public commitment, and am resigning from ITV with immediate effect expressing my immense gratitude to them for all the amazing opportunities that they have given me. I will reflect on my very bad judgement in both participating in the relationship and then lying about it."
An ITV spokesperson then said: "We are deeply disappointed by the admissions of deceit made tonight by Phillip Schofield.
"The relationships we have with those we work with are based on trust. Philip made assurances to us which he now acknowledges were untrue and we feel badly let down.
"We accept his resignation from ITV and therefore can confirm that he will not be appearing on ITV as had previously been stated."
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