This Morning boss Martin Frizell to leave show after 10 years
After nearly a decade of working on the show, 'This Morning' boss Martin Frizell has announced he will be exiting the programme in Spring next year becasue he's "expecting [his] family priorities to change".
‘This Morning’ boss Martin Frizell is to leave the ITV show next year.
The 65-year-old executive had joined the network in 2014 as editor of ‘Loose Women’ before moving to ‘This Morning’ a year later, but Martin has now announced he will be leaving his position in Spring 2025, bringing an end to his decade-long tenure as the show’s chief.
In a statement, he said: “Next year I’m expecting my family priorities to change so I need to free up time for them. I love my team at ITV and will miss them and the thrill of live telly but it’s an always on, 24 hours a day, seven days a week commitment and I won’t be able to do both.
“It’s been a privilege to lead truly great presenters and producers, between us we’ve turned out more than six thousand hours of live topical telly, that’s around 20,000 items and whilst the gongs are always nice.
“I’m most proud of the change we made to so many lives, even saving a fair few with our campaigns on anti-suicide, menopause, testicular cancer and ‘how-to’ items. This juggernaut is the toughest test for any broadcast journalist.”
After the TV boss made his announcement, ITV Studios Daytime Managing Director Emma Gormley thanked Martin for the “brilliance and energy” he brought to ‘This Morning’, and stressed he had left the show “in a place where it can continue to thrive into the next decade and beyond”.
She said: “Martin has brought so much success to ‘This Morning’ over the last decade which has seen an evolving landscape of changing and diversifying viewing habits.
“Under Martin, ‘This Morning’ is now one of the nation’s most engaged formats, on both ITV and social platforms, hitting an amazing one billion views across this year alone; an incredible legacy.
“I am proud of the brilliance and energy that he has brought to his role as custodian of this iconic brand.
“Martin’s decade-long contribution to the longevity and good health of our flagship show has been remarkable, and he leaves it in a place where it can continue to thrive into the next decade and beyond.”
Martin’s departure has reportedly come as “a real shock” to the ‘This Morning’ team, and industry insiders have claimed ITV don’t have anyone waiting in the wings to take his place yet.
A source told The Sun newspaper: “It's a real shock to everyone on the show - he's been working there for so long.
“Nobody saw it coming at all. As far as everyone knows they have nobody lined up to replace him either.”
While ‘This Morning’ has remained one of daytime TV’s flagship shows, the programme has been marred by controversy after disgraced star Phillip Schofield departed the series in May 2023 once it was revealed he had engaged in an “unwise, but not illegal” affair with a much younger male co-worker.
Philip’s sudden exit was quickly followed by his co-presenter Holly Willoughby, who left the show in October 2023 after a man was charged with conspiring to kidnap and murder the TV star.
ITV have said it will announce Martin's successor in due course.
