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I'm really intrigued to see how well Ben and Cat will do, when they officially take the reigns next month. It's a big ol' gamble to bring them in - an untested pairing - but I hope it pays off. For me, the current alternating rota of presenters is working well, but there's only so long you can continue with this.
In regards to whether any changes will be made, I would imagine that they would want to give them to settle in - before they introduce any small, subtle tweaks. We'll likely get a new title sequence, unless they'll drop using the presenters in the intro - and then, come September, we'll likely see a brand new set and branding get introduced for their first full series at the helm.
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(16-02-2024, 05:14 PM)Brekkie Wrote: After year where fun and personality was injected into what was tired show this feels like a bland and far too safe choice. Ben always fitted well but Cat was nowhere near as good in reality as she should have been on paper. Hopefully though once settled in they find their stride.
Gutting though we'll see less of Alison, Dermot, Craig and Josie as a result though I suspect the only one of the four who perhaps wanted the full time gig would have been Josie.
See, I disagree completely. I’m glad the current rotation is going. It always felt like the kids playing whilst Mum and Dad were away for me. The overly jolly environment and “fun” felt very tryhard and forced to make up for what they were trying to recover from. Whilst I think Alison might have worked full time with another more grounded host (potentially Ben) but her star is on the up (rightly so!) and I find her much more fitting to shows like Bake Off where she can interject and play the clown more freely. That’s not to say I don’t think all four are totally capable presenters who are enjoyable in smaller doses, I just don’t feel any of the four have really stood out or made an obvious claim for the main roles and the show needs an identoty shift after the last year.
I think it’s absolutely the right choice to bring in two new faces, and two experienced and familiar ones at that. The show needs to play relativelt safe to get it back on track, but it didn’t need predictable - and I think Cat (when originally announced anyway) is left field enough to feel fresh and different. She’s hardly appeared on the show, so I don’t feel it’s fair to judge her based on limited screen time with a totally different co-host. She’s a great down to earth host who’s recognised by a whole generation who grew up on SM:TV but also brings an element of glamour and aspiraton from her time in the US. OF course only time will tell if she and Ben work well together, but I’m really glad ITV are being decisive with this choice. I really wasn’t a fan of the idea they’d keep rotating a family of hosts forever a la GMB.
Having said all that, the “standby” four are still in the wings, with Alison and Dermot as the obvious B Pairing. Being in that position and growing their partnership under less spotlight might do them good, and they’ll be in a firmer position to step in further removed from the Phil & Holly days should Ben and Cat not work out, or if they leave in a few years time. Let’s not forget that’s exactly how Fern Britton and John Leslie (who was later replaced by Phillip Schofield) ended up as secure and trusted main hosts after the Colleen and Twiggy misfire.
(This post was last modified: 17-02-2024, 12:07 AM by
Flux.)
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Alison and Dermot are ready now, not being prepped to step in years down the track. They pretty much replaced Eamonn and Ruth in 2021 with succession in mind - it's just I don't think bosses betted on them not actually wanting it full time.
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I think with Ben, it's a safe choice but it's also a natural progression from him. One has to wonder if he did have reservations about joining full time considering what's gone on in the last 18 months.
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(17-02-2024, 12:19 AM)Brekkie Wrote: Alison and Dermot are ready now, not being prepped to step in years down the track. They pretty much replaced Eamonn and Ruth in 2021 with succession in mind - it's just I don't think bosses betted on them not actually wanting it full time.
See, personally I still disagree. I’m sure they were brought in with succession in mind but the way the previous lineup came to an end was so abrupt and likely much earlier than expected. As a result, I just don’t think Alison and Dermot are the right pair to take over at this point. All speculation of course, but I really don’t think this is some “plan b” because Alison and Dermot turned it down. I think it’s a conscious decision from ITV to (almost) wipe the slate clean and not just settle on some of the current secondary presenters. They need to show and feel like they’re moving away from what came before and fresh lead hosts is the perfect way to do that.
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I think whatever the plan and whatever the reservations some might have we can all agree its a far superior move than hiring Twiggy and a Nolan sister!
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(17-02-2024, 09:38 AM)Brekkie Wrote: I think whatever the plan and whatever the reservations some might have we can all agree its a far superior move than hiring Twiggy and a Nolan sister!
That’s one thing any poster on any forum would agree with! What were they thinking
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This gives me a bit more confidence in Cat being a good fit as I would assume Ben was mixing in those circles with Cat, Dermot and Edith in the late 90s too so hopefully has a similar history with her as Dermot shows here.
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As revealed on GMB by Richard Arnold today, Ben and Cat's debut as the new Monday-Thursday presenters of This Morning is on Monday, March 11th.
Not long to go before the pool of rotating presenters comes to a conclusion...
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Martin Lewis is presenting on Monday
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