[XIII]

I think it's just important to have a strong enough B-team who you are constantly supporting and aiding in development. The part of me that holds back when it comes to Alison is the occasions when there's a political or hard news item. Nobody expects a Jeremy Paxman-style interview on This Morning, but it's important that given the job of interviewing the Prime Minister or serious politicians, you can hold them to account rather than give them a ten-minute PR slot. I think she's fantastic in every other aspect. It's been almost three years since she and Dermot took over the Friday show, and in that time ITV should have been preparing them for taking over from Holly and Phil at some point down the line. If by this point there are any reservations, then that's the fault of ITV and they have failed to prepare for an inevitable situation. It's the same with GMB.

The target audience for This Morning is very different to those who watch GMB or Newsnight. Anyone expecting This Morning to scrap all their light and fun items in favour of serious topics clearly doesn't watch the show.