[Jon]

The "Fern" programme on Channel 4 which only lasted about a month always seemed incredibly cheap to me compared to Richard & Judy or Paul O'Grady's shows which had come before. I was surprised they didn't try it again in another format though.

Not sure aside from the talent, and the competition which presumably paid for it itself, Richard & Judy’s was expensive to make. I think Fern was made by the same production company so I guess they were hoping it would be its successor. From what I can recall was the same type of studio set up as R&J but with a small audience. I assume they used the same studio, which I believe was Cactus’s own.

[Brekkie]

So Ben and Cat already off with Alison and Dermot in for a fortnight and the show already so much more enjoyable once again. Baffling though why they didn't hold off launching Ben and Cat until after Easter for the sake of two weeks.

[Ash101]

So Ben and Cat already off with Alison and Dermot in for a fortnight and the show already so much more enjoyable once again. Baffling though why they didn't hold off launching Ben and Cat until after Easter for the sake of two weeks.

Ben & Cat did 3 weeks, but yes I do totally agree. Strange timing when we all knew they’d be off for Easter.

Presumably someone was just desperate to get them on ASAP, as that was the first week Cat was back after filming in the US.

[RDJ]

Given Alison had the past 3 weeks off since Ben & Cat started, I can only assume it was intentional for them to start then given they were available and Alison at least wasn’t.

I know Josie has been picking up a few things extra like Saturday Night Takeaway and Craig has been busy with Sport. So why get random people to continue to hold the fort when the new A-Team were available then.

I did read a ‘news’ article that Rustie Lee said on a podcast that she wouldn’t have minded to have hosted it in the interim. That would certainly have been an experience!

[Brekkie]

We should probably be grateful they got through the nine months or so without resorting to Gino.

[XIII]

Quite interesting that Dr Rosena Allin-Khan is now part of the doctors who appear on the show given that she's a MP as well.

[GMc]

Quite interesting that Dr Rosena Allin-Khan is now part of the doctors who appear on the show given that she's a MP as well.

If it's alright for GB News to have serving Tory politicians as presenters without ramifications, don't see why it should be any different on a magazine show like This Morning.

[Flux]

If it's alright for GB News to have serving Tory politicians as presenters without ramifications, don't see why it should be any different on a magazine show like This Morning.

100%

Though I also think there’s a huge difference between a serving politician appearing as a regular guest or expert in their field on a show and actually presenting shows built around political discussion like they do on GB News. The latter, I feel, shouldn’t be acceptable - a host, especially in “news” - should be able to be neutral and present a counter argument if needed, a guest/expert doesn’t need to do so.

[Brekkie]

Talking of political guests worth noting how quite a few of the contributors from Steph's Packed Lunch have made their way into the This Morning fold, including Alan Johnson and Baroness Warsi.

[XIII]

Talking of political guests worth noting how quite a few of the contributors from Steph's Packed Lunch have made their way into the This Morning fold, including Alan Johnson and Baroness Warsi.

Jordon Cox has appeared on This Morning a lot as well, I would guess it's due to Vivek Sharma who produced Steph's Packed Lunch before he returned to This Morning.