THIS MORNING: CAT DEELEY & BEN SHEPHARD 'SET TO BE ANNOUNCED' AS NEW HOSTS

ITV are set to announce Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard as new permanent hosts of This Morning from next month, The Mirror newspaper reports.

The pair will reportedly front the daytime show Mondays-Thursdays, with Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary continuing their Friday slot and also covering during school holidays.

Other presenters such as Josie Gibson, Craig Doyle, Sian Welby and Rochelle Humes will remain members of the This Morning family going forward. ITV have not announced the pair, though TV Zone has approached the broadcaster for comment.

Cat, who presented SMTV Live with Ant & Dec, and Ben, who currently hosts Good Morning Britain, are set to record trailers and promos ahead of the relaunch of This Morning this March, according to The Mirror.

A source told The Mirror: "The cat’s out of the bag - they are the new dream team. ITV is planning to announce Cat and Ben as their new star pairing in March. Obviously Ben is well known and loved by the ITV daytime audience thanks to his many years on the breakfast sofa...

"Cat is also a very recognisable face, thanks to her long stint of working on kids’ TV, although she’s been over in the US for a long time. Back in the 90s and early 2000s, when she worked with Ant and Dec on SMTV Live, she was very warm and funny so it’s hoped they can recreate some of that magic together...

"People were very impressed with her guest presenting stint last year alongside Rylan and thankfully the timing has all come together. Everyone is delighted."

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