This Morning 'faces major overhaul' after Martin Frizell exit
ITV daytime show 'This Morning' is reportedly facing a "major overhaul" following the departure of Martin Frizell in 2025.
'This Morning' is reportedly facing a "major overhaul" after Martin Frizell's exit.
The long running boss - who has served as editor for ITV's daytime programme since 2014, having first started in charge of 'Loose Women' - announced on Wednesday (27.11.24) that he's stepping down in 2025, and it's said "huge changes are afoot" with current associated editor Vivek Sharma emerging as a frontrunner to replace him.
An insider told The Sun newspaper: "This really is the end of an era for daytime telly; huge changes are afoot."
Frizell - whose wife Fiona Phillips was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2022 - oversaw huge changes over the last year alone, with both Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield leaving in 2023 as Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard joined as hosts, while Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary front the show on Fridays.
But the source added: "Whilst Cat and Ben are hugely talented and accomplished broadcasters, the reality is their chemistry simply hasn’t replicated that of Holly and Phillip in their prime.
“The hope is that a few tweaks here and there can make a huge difference - with presenters added to the roster, and a few exciting new features."
Martin has been hailed as "hugely talented, hands-on, hard-working, and dedicated" to 'This Morning', with "old school" tendencies while still being "a total maverick".
The insider said: "Whilst officially ITV will open the job up to external candidates, the feeling is Vivek is a shoo-in - he’s brilliant, young, talented and just what the show needs to freshen-up and engage with a TikTok generation.
"He is bursting with ideas. But he knows not to reinvent the wheel, and alienate [This Morning's] core audience of housewives and young mums - but he will do it his way.”
Announcing his departure this week, Frizell revealed how "family priorities" were at the heart of his decision.
He said in a statement: "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."
