Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard are said to be ITV’s top choices to front This Morning following the departures of Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby earlier this year.
Schofield quit the show in May after he admitted he lied about an affair with a younger male colleague.
Then months later, Willoughby, who had presented the show for 14 years, revealed she was stepping away from the daytime series in October.
Ever since, the show has been fronted by a different roster of presenters, including Craig Doyle, Rylan Clark, Emma Willis and I’m a Celebrity contestant Josie Gibson, alongside the hosts of Friday episodes, Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond.
Now it’s been claimed that Deeley, 47, and Shephard, 49, are ITV’s top choice to become permanent fixtures on the mid-morning stalwart.
A source told The Sun their casting “will be a real boost to morale” among the show’s production team after a rocky year, stating: “Lots of people were considered. Ultimately, it’s about chemistry.
“Cat really impressed when she came in, and Ben is a consummate professional and hugely popular with the housewife demographic.
“He’s an extremely safe pair of hands, has real gravitas, and doesn’t have a whiff of scandal around him.”
The outlet also claimed that the pair will earn the same salary of £550,000, which is £150,000 less than what Schofield and Willoughby were earning.
In response to the claims, an ITV spokesperson told The Standard: "We don't comment on speculation."
Deeley’s became a household name when she fronted BAFTA-winning children’s show SM:TV Live alongside Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly.
She also presenter its spin-off chart show, CD:UK and later presented Fame Academy alongside her now husband Patrick Kielty as well as a reboot of Stars in Their Eyes.
Since 2006, Deeley has made a name for herself across the pond hosting dance competition, So You Think You Can Dance.
While Shephard is an ITV regular having been apart of the Good Morning Britain team since 2014, and also hosts game show, Tipping Point and Ninja Warrior.
