After what has been an incredibly difficult year with mass layoffs coupled with a studio move, they could easily be forgiven for hanging their heads.
And that’s exactly what the stars of This Morning did when they scooped the prize for Best Daytime Show at the National Television Awards last night.
Cat Deeley, Ben Shephard and Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary posed with their latest trophy and paid tribute to the crew they lost to brutal ITV cost-cutting measures.
Dermot, 53, described the “gear change” the This Morning team went through following the redundancies, before the award was dedicated to the crew.
He said: ‘The team has done so well, especially as we’ve moved studios. We have lost a large portion of our workforce, who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own, and it took quite a lot.
“It was a real gear change and for our team to come out day in and day out and maintain that level of professionalism and good nature and be so supportive and all that.”
Last year, ITV chiefs moved all their daytime programs from their headquarters, Television Centre, in west London, and halved their 400-strong workforce.
Dermot, who celebrated by drinking white wine from a plastic bottle, continued: ‘As I always say, we can dance in the light because they work in the shadows.
Dermot O’Leary drank wine from the bottle as he addressed ‘brutal’ ITV job losses at the National Television Awards and dedicated his win to the This Morning crew
It’s the second year in a row that This Morning has been given the gong, having lost their 12-year streak in 2023 following the departures of Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby
“They are so good at what they do and it is a privilege and a pleasure to work with them.”
His words left the assembled staff visibly emotional, before Ben, who joined This Morning in 2024, also paid tribute.
He said: ‘As Dermot said, there have been some big changes throughout the ITV day, not just for us at This Morning, but for Lorraine, Loose Women and our friends and family at GMB.
“For everyone to bounce back with such enthusiasm and grace and want to make the best show possible is really special.”
It is the second year in a row that This Morning has been given the gong, having lost their 12-year winning streak in 2023 following the controversial departures of Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby.
Cat, 49, wore a couture pink and white dress from Italian designer Giambattista Valli Resort to the ceremony.
As part of ITV’s ‘brutal’ daytime cuts, production of Good Morning Britain was transferred to ITN, which also produces ITV and Channel 4 news.
Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women moved to the Hospital Club in Covent Garden in the capital.
All three shows share the same studio and small dressing rooms backstage, which has reportedly caused friction between the stars.
Lorraine Kelly’s self-titled show was also cut to just 30 minutes and now airs for just 30 weeks a year, along with Loose Women.
During the 22 weeks of the year when Lorraine, 66, is not on air, the GMB is extended.
The stars of This Morning were in high spirits as they scooped the award for Best Daytime Show at the National Television Awards last night
Cat’s predecessor on the bench, Holly Willoughby, also attended the NTAs after taking a break last year due to ongoing fears for her safety following a foiled plot to kidnap her.
The presenter, 45, who launched her YouTube series this summer and is a veteran of the NTAS red carpet, stunned in an £18,500 dress by Vietnamese designer Hua Le Duc Anh.
After celebrating his 100th birthday in May, Sir David Attenborough was named Best Presenter for his documentary series Secret Garden.
The BBC star defeated Traitors presenter Claudia Winkleman to leave ITV darlings Ant and Dec without a gong for the second year in a row.
Last summer the Geordie duo lost their 23-year streak to former BBC presenter Gary Lineker.
For the first time in the NTA’s history, all women led the nominees for Best Drama Performance, including Sheridan Smith, Ruth Jones, Ella Bruccoleri and Judy Parfitt.
But it was Vicky McClure who won the gong for her role in ITV’s Trigger Point.
