"Behind the Scenes Turmoil: Are Tess & Vernon Being Lured Away from 'This Morning'?"

THIS Morning is in panic mode, with viewing figures halved and job cuts hitting morale.

Now bosses believe they can save the ailing juggernaut by recruiting golden couple .

Tess Daly and Vernon Kay are being lured by ITV’s flagship show This MorningCredit: Getty Tess and Vernon in the early days in 2003Credit: Getty The dynamic duo fronting The One Show last monthCredit: X

According to highly placed industry sources, a top-secret plot is being hatched to lure the husband-and-wife duo to the famous blue sofa.

The plan comes as current hosts, and , approach the end of their contracts, with no certainty that they will be renewed and bosses reportedly “keen to move quickly” to secure a revamp.

But poaching from the won’t be easy, with insiders warning that the gig has become a “poisoned chalice” — and puts even the strongest marriages under incredible strain.

To understand why, bosses need only look up at the storm clouds that have gathered over current host Cat’s troubled tenure.

Parachuted in to save the show in 2024 alongside Ben, TV chiefs thought the the Brummie host would add a touch of sparkle after her time spent presenting So You Think You Can Dance in the US .

Instead, her polished, -honed persona has left her facing accusations of being “unrelatable” to the average British daytime viewer.

‘It’s crunch time now’

Behind the scenes, the situation is even more fraught. Following her of 13 years, , 49-year-old Cat has had a series of unexplained absences.

One insider sadly noted: “Cat seems more detached from the job than ever. No one is sure if she would agree to stay on even if she was asked. Her departure is being openly talked about behind the scenes.”

The lightbulb moment for ITV bosses reportedly came after watching and effortlessly co-host almost two weeks ago.

It was the first time the couple had presented together in nearly 20 years and audiences lapped it up.

“You and Vern presenting together is everything,” said one fan.

Another added: “You make the atmosphere so relaxed and perfect for viewers at home.”

ITV top brass were also watching and agreed with the viewers.

An insider said: “It was a total no-brainer the second they saw them on The One Show sofa.

“Execs have been sweet on Vernon for ages, but the pair’s natural husband-and-wife banter made them realise exactly what This Morning has been missing.

“They are obsessed with finding the next Richard and Judy, and Tess and Vernon have that exact same effortless magic.

Tess with Claudia Winkleman on Strictly Come DancingCredit: Instagram Vernon at BBC Radio 2Credit: Instagram

“Audiences are notoriously tough on new faces, but they completely fell in love with their northern charm.

“It’s crunch time now. Cat and Ben’s contracts end this spring, and viewing figures are still disappointing. Bosses are totally convinced this duo is the lifeline the show needs.”

The comparison to and is the holy grail for producers, harking back to a time when This Morning was the jewel in the crown of daytime TV — with a legendary sofa that hosted Hollywood royalty and prime ministers.

When and teamed up to host the show in 2009, they replicated that bond as television “besties”.

But that effortless magic has vanished after Schofield quit following his admission that he lied about his relationship with a younger male colleague, causing a rift with Holly, who also subsequently left.

Ben is still universally loved as a safe pair of hands, but replacing Holly and Phil was always going to be an uphill battle under the dark cloud of the previous toxic workplace allegations, including Phil’s affair.

Tess with daughter Phoebe in New YorkCredit: Instagram Cat Deeley with ex Patrick Kielty in California in 2017Credit: Getty

Cat’s star power and Ben’s seasoned professionalism could not halt the show’s sliding viewing figures. Over a million people tuned in to watch their first show, but now average around 550,000.

It is also being trounced by — hosted by and , who pull in a million viewers daily.

On paper, though, the timing for a Tess and Vernon takeover is perfect.
Tess is currently a free agent after she and quit as co-hosts of .

After more than two decades of donning sequins and commanding the ballroom, she is on the lookout for her next TV chapter — and to replace the reported £150,000 she earned per series on Strictly.

She is also entering a new phase with Vernon, who she married in Bolton in 2003.

The couple are preparing to become empty nesters now their eldest daughter Phoebe, 21, has moved to and younger sibling Amber, 16, is in college.

They are obsessed with finding the next Richard and Judy, and Tess and Vernon have that exact same effortless magic

An insider

Friends say the pair are keener than ever to spend more time together — and what better way to do that than sitting shoulder-to-shoulder, projecting their relatable, Northern warmth on to the nation’s biggest daytime show?

But this television fairytale is likely to hit a major stumbling block.

While Tess is free and very much available, her husband is currently in the prime of his career. Having taken over from , Vernon now hosts the UK’s most listened-to radio show, which airs on weekdays when This Morning is on ITV.

His slot on commands a staggering 6.6million listeners, earning him an annual salary of £390,000 – making him the Beeb’s ninth-highest paid star.

Why, pals are asking, would he risk that universally adored status to step into the firing line of This Morning?

One source said: “Vernon is incredibly protective of his Radio 2 family and extremely loyal to the BBC. He has built a phenomenal relationship with his listeners.

Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley have been hosting the show since 2024Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby teamed up to host the show in 2009 and left in 2023Credit: Pixel8000

“He gets to go into the studio, play brilliant music, have a laugh, and go home without any of the drama that seems to follow daytime television.”

Some have explicitly warned that This Morning is a “poisoned chalice”.

The intense, relentless scrutiny that the hosts are subjected to — from their outfit choices to their interview techniques, to their on-screen body language — is unmatched in British media.

Agreeing to host together would mean putting Tess and Vernon’s marriage under the microscope of daily scrutiny.

Richard and Judy managed to harness it, but it came at the cost of immense personal pressure.

and did the same, and while they were brilliant on screen, their eventual fallout with ITV executives was undeniably bruising and the pair eventually divorced in 2024 after 27 years together.

Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes presented the show between 2006 and 2020Credit: Rex Married presenters and queen and king of daytime telly Judy Finnigan and Richard Madeley fronted the show between 1988 and 2001Credit: Getty – Contributor

Then there is the gloomy, cut-throat atmosphere currently hanging over ITV daytime to consider.

Following a scheduling shake-up to cut costs, the network slashed both Lorraine and to air for just 30 weeks per year.

Despite downsizing its studio, This Morning survived the axe and kept its year-round slot, proving its status as ITV’s last standing daytime titan.

For the channel, the stakes could not be higher. If it can convince Tess and Vernon to sign on the dotted line, ITV will instantly secure the most talked-about television debut of the decade.

But it would be a big-money gamble for the network when it is tightening belts elsewhere, with one expert saying they would likely need to offer a “golden handcuffs” deal north of £1.5million.

Now all that remains to be seen is whether Britain’s golden couple will take a sip from the poisoned chalice — or politely pass it on.