December 28th 2024.
It seems that Cat Deeley's future on This Morning has been decided. According to reports, the ITV host will be staying on the show for a bit longer, but not for as long as some may have hoped. Cat, who joined the daytime chat show in February alongside co-host Ben Shephard, has reportedly signed a new 12-month contract that will come into effect in March 2025. This means that viewers can expect to see her on the show almost every day until spring of 2026, and she will be earning a whopping £600,000.
However, once her contract ends, it looks like Cat may be saying goodbye to the show. A source close to her revealed, "Cat loves This Morning but she knows that she will be one of their shortest serving presenters." She was brought on board to provide stability after the tumultuous departure of Phillip Schofield and his longtime co-host Holly Willoughby. The insider added, "Cat was brought in alongside Ben to steady the ship, and she has done exactly that. Ratings have been tricky, but the daily drama has finally ended."
While she has agreed to extend her stay by another year, friends of Cat have claimed that she is starting to feel tired of the gig and is looking for new challenges in 2026. Despite her love and loyalty for the show and crew, she has no desire to become a long-running This Morning legend like Holly, who presented the show alongside Phillip for 14 years and became a staple on ITV daytime television.
In October, Cat spoke about how starting on This Morning affected her sleep patterns, leading her to try hypnotherapy. "I know it may sound a bit kooky, but I had tried everything else," she told Grazia magazine. "When you do live TV, your body goes into fight or flight mode, and your adrenaline starts pumping. But then, how do you relax afterwards? How do you sleep when you're running on empty?"
There were many concerns about the high-profile nature of Cat's new job, not only due to the Phillip drama but also after a man was sentenced to life in prison for planning a kidnap plot against Holly. However, Cat has made it clear that if her mental health is being affected or if she is no longer enjoying the job, she will walk away. She told The Times, "If it becomes too much for me, I will quit. I don't need to do this. I could stop and be a mom for most of the year and then go and do shows in America. There is no hidden agenda for me doing this."
Despite the initial worries about the show's declining ratings, Cat and Ben's pre-recorded Christmas Day episode drew in an impressive 1.1 million viewers, more than double the average ratings they had in May, just months after their debut. An ITV spokesperson addressed the concerns, saying, "This Morning continues to reach over 4 million viewers a week and remains one of the most streamed programs on ITVX in 2024." They also highlighted the show's strong connection with viewers, with 11 million followers across their social media platforms and millions of views on their content each month.
As for the future, ITV has declined to comment on Cat's contract or any potential changes to the show. This Morning airs weekdays at 10 am on ITV1. If you have a celebrity story, video, or pictures, you can get in touch with the entertainment team at The Agency by emailing us, calling 020 3615 2145, or visiting our Submit Stuff page. We would love to hear from you.
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