02 February 2024 , 09:02
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It will be a tough loss for Good Morning Britain as presenter Ben Shephard will move over to This Morning to permanently take over from Phillip Schofield next month.
The 49-year-old TV host will pair up with Cat Deeley to become ITV's new 'dream team' and replace long-term hosts Holly and Phil. The pair are expected to shoot their launch pictures, trailers and promotions for the show this month ahead of the official announcement, it has been revealed by the Mirror.
An insider said yesterday: "The cat's out of the bag - they are the new dream team. ITV is planning to announce Cat and Ben as their new star pairing in March." The source said Ben is "well known and loved by the ITV daytime audience thanks to his many years on the breakfast sofa".
As well as his stints on GMTV followed by GMB, having started on Channel 4 with The Bigger Breakfast, Ben also fronts gameshow Tipping Point. Other series he's presented over the years include Ninja Warrior, What's Cooking? and Xtra Factor. Away from the cameras, Ben has been married to his wife, university sweetheart Annie Perks, for almost two decades and they share two sons, Jack and Sam.
Ben and Annie first met at university and went on to marry in 2004 (TXB)
The happy couple have two teenage sons together, Jack and Sam (Instagram)Ben landed his big break in 1998, when he presented the Bigger Breakfast on Channel 4, alongside Dermot O'Leary, and has gone on to have a successful career in TV. While Annie's passion for gardening and interior design has seen her work for big name fashion and home magazines, including House and Garden, Glamour, Elle Deco, Elle and Red - and she runs the blog The House Editor. In July, Ben took to Instagram to praise his wife's hard work and labelled himself a "proud husband". He wrote: "She has worked so hard over the last year, I couldn't be more proud of her and excited for what comes next."
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Last year, the GMB host jokingly admitted to sleeping with 'all the right people' to get ahead in the TV industry and secure his position as a nation favourite. During an interview on the Tubes & Ange Golf Life YouTube channel, host Tubes told Ben that he was one of the "most loved TV presenters in this country", to which Ben responded by saying "thank you." He then added: "Don't tell my wife that, she has a very different opinion!" But when asked how his career unfolded, Ben quipped: "I just slept with all the right people!" The pair then burst into laughter at his shock admission.
Ben often praises his wife on social media and admits how 'lucky' he is (Twitter)
Though he's said Annie wouldn't let him do Strictly over fears of the curse (Getty Images Europe)Though Ben has repeatedly praised his wife in the spotlight and admitted how "lucky" he is to have such a supportive partner by his side. Speaking on Kate Thornton's White Wine Question Time last year, he said: "We met at university - so you knew Annie when I just got into the telly - and I was sort of a mere puppy when it came to the world of broadcasting media. She has been through all this with me - the highs and the lows of all that experience. And she is still here, somehow is still putting up with me which to this day, I can't quite believe that I am extraordinarily lucky."
Unfortunately, we're unlikely to ever see Ben competing on the Strictly Come Dancing floor, as Annie has explicitly banned him from starring on the show. Her frank, honest reason is because she's concerned the 'Strictly curse' would hit them. Years ago, Ben explained the sticky situation while speaking to Andi Peters on GMB: "Andi, I would love to do Strictly. As you know, I spent three years in university learning to dance, I have a degree in dance - it doesn't make me a good dancer, obviously. But my wife really doesn't want me to do Strictly, I've spoken about it very publicly, but she's not interested in me having an affair."
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Ben cheekily added: "I think she's being very narrow-minded and it could be a great opportunity, who knows what could happen? It would be an amazing experience, I love a bit of spangle and glamour on a Saturday night… As things stand though, that's a negotiation that needs to happen between the BBC and my wife." He joked: "I can get myself into a lot of trouble here!"