This Morning viewers point out big ‘missed’ opportunity as Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard join show

Deeley and Shephard hosted their first show as main presenters on Monday (11 March)

Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard have kicked off their tenure as the new main hosts of This Morning – but some viewers have accused the show of being “the same”, despite claiming to have entered a new era.

The presenters began their first hosting stint together on Monday’s edition (11 March) of the long-running ITV morning show, after being announced as Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby’s successors last month.

Since the departure of the previous main hosts last year, the show has been helmed by a range of regular relief presenters, including Dermot O’Leary, Allison Hammond, Rylan and Josie Gibson.

Deeley, 47, and Shephard, 49, kicked off their debut episode by sharing their excitement for their new roles, before playing clips from some of their celebrity friends and colleagues, wishing them good luck.

One video came from Ant and Dec, who previously hosted the Saturday morning kids’ show SMTV Live with Deeley in the 1990s and 2000s.

“Have the best time, we can’t wait to watch,” Dec said, before Ant shared some light-hearted advice for Shephard about working with his former co-star.

“She might be all sweetness and light but that girl can party. Don’t think she can’t!” he said, before Dec quipped: “Keep a lock on the drinks cabinet!”

Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard (ITV / screengrab)

Though the hosts have been all smiles throughout their first episode, some viewers have expressed their frustration that the producers of the show decided not to revamp the opening credits to feature images of the new hosts.

As well as this, the London set remains the same, without any design elements to distinguish Deeley and Shephard’s hosting era from that of their predecessors.

“Big new era for #ThisMorning starts today, AAAAAND…they’ve not changed anything on the set, the items are all the same and it feels like Ben and Cat are just the latest on the conveyer belt of presenters rather than it feeling like a fresh start, which it arguably should,” one fan wrote on X/Twitter.

Another wrote: “Same old set, theme tune, graphics and segments. Even same opening titles – couldn’t even be bothered to add Ben and Cat in like the old previous hosts.”

Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley sampling some air fryer treats on ‘This Morning’ (ITV / screengrab)

One person offered a critique of ITV, noting a “missed” opportunity to detach from the show’s history.

“This was ITV’s chance to rejuvenate the program and move on from the past – and they missed it,” they wrote.

Similarly, another viewer shared positive words for the new hosts’ talents while lamenting the lack of fresh elements for the show.

“As good as Cat and Ben are, today would have been a great opportunity to totally relaunch and refresh #ThisMorning with a makeover – new features, change of format, updated set, new contributors etc,” they wrote. “As it stands, it feels exactly the same.”

This Morning airs on weekdays at 10am on ITV1 and ITVX.