This Morning (TV programme)

History

In 1988, ITV decided to create a live daytime morning programme. Four regional ITV companies made pilot shows to bid for the national contract:

The first episode of This Morning aired at 10.40 am on 3 October 1988 and finished at 12.10 pm, live from the Granada studio inside the Albert Dock in Liverpool. An industry insider believed the idea would not work and would be pulled by Christmas 1988, but despite This Morning being launched with no publicity its ratings quickly rose to a daily average of two million viewers.

The first few series of experts were: weatherman Fred Talbot, agony aunt Denise Robertson, medic Dr Chris Steele, cook Susan Brookes, hair and make-up artists Andrew and Liz Collinge and wine expert Charles Metcalfe. The theme tune was by David Pringle, who also wrote opening music for Wheel of Fortune, Fun House and The Pyramid Game.

As part of the show, weather presenter Fred Talbot used a floating map of the British Isles to report the forecast. A clip of a streaker running onto Talbot's weather map in 1995 is regularly shown on clip shows.

Steve Penk also co presented with Lucy Meacock covering for Richard and Judy. For the beginning of the Autumn 1996 series, the show was relocated to LWT's Television Centre (now The London Studios) in London, coinciding with a housing relocation for Madeley and Finnigan and to secure even more celebrity guests for the show.

In the Summer of 2001, Madeley and Finnigan left This Morning to present their own show on Channel 4. In the Autumn of 2001, M&S model Twiggy and Loose Women panelist and anchor Coleen Nolan took over with Fern Britton and John Leslie remaining on Fridays.

2009–15

A relaunch of This Morning took place in 2009 and subsequently, the ratings rose by 20%. Part of the relaunch included a new set and Holly Willoughby became a new co-presenter.

In March 2010, This Morning producer Karl Newton announced that the show would air seven days a week, with two new one-hour shows broadcast on Saturdays and Sundays. Schofield and Willoughby presented pre-recorded links in between compilations of the past week's programming. The weekend editions were introduced on 20 March 2010, but have since been dropped from the schedule.

The Hub was the interactive part of the show which heavily featured in This Morning from 2010 until 2014. Presenters included Jeff Brazier (2013–14), Jenni Falconer (2013–14), Stephen Mulhern (2011–14) Rylan Clark (2013–14), Emma Willis (2012–14), Coleen Nolan (2010–12), Samanthi Jayawardena (2010–12) and Matt Johnson (2010–13).

On 1 March 2010, This Morning began an interactive cooking event, named This Morning Cook In!, where each week, five viewers and a celebrity guest cook along, via Skype, with the chefs on the day of the event. Gino D'Acampo and Phil Vickery were the two chefs to present the item.

The show has proven newsworthy on several occasions. This Morning covered new ground by showing a gay partnership celebration live. An 2008 interview with Kerry Katona, slurring her words, also attracted coverage.

On 21 August 2013, Carol Vorderman took her first steps towards a 2014 World Record attempt by doing a solo flight to 1,000 metres high, live on This Morning, reporter Jenni Falconer was there.

In 2013, This Morning held a competition for one viewer to present "The Hub" for one day in the Summer. The winner of the competition was Maddy Moss.

In September 2013, at the beginning of the new 25th series, the show had a minor revamp. The opening titles and theme tune were updated and the website had also been given a new makeover.

After just one year, the new theme was dropped and reverted to the previous.

On 3 October 2013, This Morning celebrated its 25th anniversary. The programme was broadcast live from its original home at Albert Dock in Liverpool with presenters Phillip Schofield, Eamonn Holmes, Holly Willoughby and Ruth Langsford being joined by original presenters Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan. Numerous historical clips of the show were aired, including Gene Pitney's infamous miming gaffe from 1989. Keith Lemon presented the weather from the show's infamous floating weather map, while Stephen Mulhern presented various items including 'The Hub Sub' (The Interactive 'Hub' on a submarine). There was much speculation around whether Fern Britton would return for the 25th anniversary, however it was confirmed eight days before that she would not. Despite this, Britton did appear in a pre-recorded VT during the show.

With the theme tune being updated – This Morning has now had 7 variations of the theme since it began in 1988.

2015–present

Since January 2015, This Morning has been simulcast in the Republic of Ireland on UTV Ireland.

On 27 August 2015, This Morning broadcast the remaining weeks' shows from the south bank due to the main studio having a revamp ready for the new series on Tuesday 1 September. The new series had many changes including a brand new set, theme music, titles and the new logo being painted onto the outside of the building.

On 1 September 2015, a Labrador Retriever puppy being trained to be a guide dog was added to the programme and viewers were given the chance to name her. On 3 September, it was announced that the puppy had been named Clover and would stay on the programme until she is at least 14 months old, appearing two times a week.

On 30 November 2015, Schofield was unable to present the show for two weeks after his brother was taken ill. His replacements were Eamonn Holmes for the first week and Ben Shephard the following week.

On 29 January 2016, it was announced that Holmes would be temporarily leaving the show to undergo a double hip replacement. His replacements were Ben Shephard and showbiz presenter Rylan Clark-Neal. Holmes returned to the show after sick leave on 15 April 2016.

On 19 February 2016, at the start of the show, Rylan Clark-Neal and Ruth Langsford announced that Denise Robertson was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She soon received chemotherapy. She hadn't appeared on the show for a few weeks before the announcement. She hoped to be back on the show very soon.

However, on 31 March 2016 Denise Robertson died of pancreatic cancer. The next day, This Morning paid their respects to her with Eamonn Holmes returning from sick leave for a one off special of the show. Denise's funeral was held on 13 April 2016, with Rylan Clark-Neal and Lorraine Kelly guest presenting the episode of This Morning in London.

On 29 April 2016, Langsford presented the show with Chef James Martin whilst Holmes took a day off. On 15 June 2016, Willoughby presented alongside Rylan Clark-Neal whilst Schofield took a day off. Schofield returned to the show the following day. On 4 July 2016, James Martin hosted again, this time he hosted alongside Willoughby.

On 8 July 2016, the show has made history by having two people in a same-sex marriage to host it. Clark-Neal and his husband Dan hosted the show while Holmes and Langsford had a week off in preparation for their summer stint. The episode proved popular with viewers. During the summer weeks, James Martin and Anita Rani presented the Friday shows, standing in for Holmes and Langsford. However, on 5 August, Rylan Clark-Neal and Dan Neal covered for Martin and Rani, as they both had other commitments.

On 13 July 2016, the show ended at 11:55 for David Cameron's final Prime Minister's Questions.

This Morning Live!

On 19 September 2016, Phillip and Holly announced during the show that This Morning will air a four-day live event at the NEC in Birmingham, from 18-21 May 2017, branded as This Morning Live!. The feature will include appearances from the This Morning presenters and experts, and celebrity guests.

Presenters

This Morning is currently hosted by Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby from Monday to Thursday, and Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford on Fridays. During school holidays, Langsford and Holmes present between Monday and Friday with occasional stand in presenters on Friday mornings. Regular This Morning stand-in presenters include Amanda Holden and Rylan Clark-Neal.

From October 1988 to July 2001, This Morning was presented by husband and wife Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan. However, from 1998 onwards, they hosted only the Monday to Thursday editions, with regular guest presenters hosting on Fridays: during the tenth series Caron Keating and Ross Kelly presided, and from series 11 in 1999 Fern Britton and John Leslie were regular presenters of the Friday show.

A number of people worked as stand-in presenters during the programme's early years, including former Sky News newsreader Scott Chisholm. Between 1994 and 1998, the main stand-in presenters were Stephen Rhodes and his then-wife Alison Keenan

When Madeley and Finnigan departed the show in 2001, they were replaced by Coleen Nolan and Twiggy, with Britton and Leslie remaining on Fridays. However, Nolan and Twiggy proved less popular with viewers, Britton and Leslie took on the full job of presenting the show and brought the ratings back up to around one million. In 2002, after certain allegations were made in the press about his private life, Leslie was dismissed from the programme.

John Leslie was replaced by Phillip Schofield in 2002, developing an on-screen relationship with Fern Britton that was characterised by good humour and giggling.

Lorraine Kelly joined the team in 2003, to co-present with Phillip Schofield on Mondays and Fridays. Kelly left This Morning in March 2006 to concentrate on her GMTV programme (GMTV with Lorraine), as well as to spend more time at home.

Schofield and Britton presented the show from Monday to Thursday, whilst Ruth Langsford presented the show on Fridays alongside Schofield. From September 2008, Langsford has been joined on the Friday edition by her husband Eamonn Holmes.

In March 2009, Fern Britton announced that she was to leave This Morning and was later replaced by Holly Willoughby in September 2009. On 17 July 2009, Britton presented her final show after 10 years of presenting.

On 4 April 2011, ITV confirmed that both Jenni Falconer and Ruth Langsford would cover for Holly Willoughby, for the first six weeks of her maternity leave. Langsford presented the first three weeks with Falconer the final three. Jenni Falconer filled in for Holly on 12 April 2011, and it was announced by Phillip Schofield that Holly may or may not be in labour and was having the day off. Schofield confirmed via Twitter that Willoughby was in labour. Falconer covered the remainder of Willoughby's leave until 14 July 2011.

On 14 March 2014, Willoughby announced her third pregnancy. It was later confirmed on 11 July 2014 that Amanda Holden would co-host This Morning with Schofield from September until December 2014 and then from March 2015 onwards, while Christine Bleakley co-hosted the show in January and February 2015 whilst Holden filmed the Britain's Got Talent audition stages. Holden's last show was on 17 July 2015, and during the summer Holmes and Langsford hosted the show, whilst Willoughby returned on 1 September 2015.

On 29 January 2016, Friday presenter Eamonn Holmes presented his last show for a few months whilst he had a double hip operation. Whilst he was recovering Ben Shephard presented his Friday Show and Rylan Clark-Neal presented February and April school holidays. Holmes returned to This Morning on 1 April for a special episode to pay tribute to the show's agony aunt Denise Robertson who died the night before, the show also had past and present presenters pay their respects either in the studio or on the phone.

On 13 April 2016, Rylan Clark-Neal presented once again, this time, alongside Lorraine Kelly after a 10-year absence from the show, whilst Phillip, Holly, Ruth and Eamonn attended Denise Robertson's funeral in Sunderland. Phillip and Holly returned to present the show the following day.

Davina McCall guest presented three episodes of This Morning with Phillip Schofield in January 2017.

Studio

Since 1996, This Morning broadcasts live from Studio 8 at The London Studios on the South Bank which features large picture windows looking out over the River Thames. The windows that are seen on screen are real but have a silver coating on the outside to prevent people seeing in and also to prevent glare from the sun. This coating was removed for the new series on 1 September 2015 to coincide with the new set.

In February 2015, guest Bear Grylls made his entrance by climbing up a rope and smashing his way through the window. For the rest of the episode, a large wooden board was put over the broken area.

Coinciding with the programme's revamp, the outside of the studio was repainted with the new This Morning logo and branding.

Awards

This Morning have won the National Television Award for Best Daytime/Live Magazine Show 7 years running 2011 to 2017