Good Morning Britain shakes up presenting line-up as regular host Susanna Reid takes a period of absence from show
Good Morning Britain will be mixing up its presenting line-up to compensate for Susanna Reid’s leave of absence.
The presenter, 52, is a regular news anchor on the ITV breakfast show and is often joined by co-hosts Richard Madeley and Ben Shephard among others.
On Wednesday’s programme Susanna announced she will be taking some time away from the show.
She said she would be making her return in two weeks, suggesting that she is taking a break to spend time with her family during the half-term holidays.
The journalist shares three sons with her ex-partner Dominic Cotton – Sam, 21, Finn, 19 and Jack, 18.
Switching things up! Good Morning Britain will be mixing up its presenting line-up to compensate for Susanna Reid ‘s leave of absence (pictured Wednesday)
Main: The presenter, 52, is a regular news anchor on the ITV breakfast show and is often joined by co-hosts Richard Madeley and Ben Shephard among others (Susanna and Richard pictured on Tuesday)
Susanna discussed her time off with her co-host Richard and fellow ITV broadcaster Lorraine Kelly.
She assured them: ‘I am back in two weeks,’ as Lorraine replied: ‘We will miss you! Have a great time, Susanna.’
Richard chimed in to add: ‘Have a lovely time off!’
It is not yet known who will be presenting the show in the Susanna’s absence, but it is assumed that it will be fellow main anchors Ben and Kate Garraway, or one of the rotational hosts, Richard, Ed Balls or Martin Lewis.
Susanna’s departure comes after Good Morning Britain came under fire last week as the show opened addressing Holly Willoughby’s This Morning exit, instead of prioritising the latest update in the Israel-Hamas war.
Viewers took to X – formerly known as Twitter – to say it was ‘absolutely disgraceful’ hosts Susanna and Ed had begun by talking about Holly’s resignation before discussing the horrors happening in Israel.
Susanna sent her ‘best wishes’ to the presenter, 42, while Ed, 56, said Holly’s departure was a ‘big loss’.
Holly stepped down after a former Pizza Hut worker was remanded in custody this month charged over an alleged plot to kidnap and murder her.
Break: On Wednesday’s programme Susanna announced she will be taking some time away from the show (pictured with Ben last week)
Time off: She said she would be making her return in two weeks, suggesting that she is taking a break to spend time with her family during the half-term holidays
‘I just want to open the show by sending I’m sure all of our best wishes to who has made what is clearly a difficult decision to step down from This Morning on daytime after 14 years at the programme,’ Susanna said.
‘And she’s clearly made the right decision for her and her family as she says, a very difficult goodbye. But family first.
‘So our very, very best wishes to Holly – a beloved colleague. I will miss seeing her walking past as she goes to work.’
Ed added: ‘She’s had such a tough year but you feel confident that she will be back on television soon. We don’t know when. But she’s a total star and it will be a big loss.’
However, viewers blasted the programme for starting with Holly’s exit over what was happening in Israel.
In the early hours of Wednesday, Israeli forces conducted 250 airstrikes in just one hour across northern and eastern parts of the Gaza strip to pave the way for a massive ground operation.
One viewer wrote: ‘Important and horrific news events going on in the world but GMB open with Holly Willoughby stepping down from This Morning and how SHE has had a hard year. Get real will you!’
Slammed: Susanna’s departure comes after Good Morning Britain came under fire last week as the show opened addressing Holly Willoughby’s This Morning exit , instead of prioritising the latest update in the Israel-Hamas war
Priorities: Susanna sent her ‘best wishes’ to the presenter, 42, while Ed, 56, said Holly’s departure was a ‘big loss’ ahead of discussing the horrors happening in Israel (Holly pictured last month)
Heartbreaking: This picture taken on October 11, 2023 shows an aerial view of buildings destroyed by Israeli air strikes in the Jabalia camp for Palestinian refugees in Gaza City
Other viewers said: ‘Earthquakes in Turkey, Afghanistan, flooding in Israel, human suffering at its worst and this trash about Holly Willoughby’.
‘Hi Susanna. Absolutely disgraceful that you made such a big thing about Holly at 6.02am this morning. There’s a war in Gaza #Priorities #GetAGrip.’
‘That the news of Holly Willoughby quitting This Morning has dominated the news over children dying in Gaza in absolute insanity. ‘
‘Holly Willoughby leaving a TV programme, so what? Why the dramatic reporting??’
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