Holly Willoughby shocked the nation when she announced she was leaving This Morning following 14 years on the show – and now many are wondering how that will affect ITV's daytime flagship show.
The 42 year old took to Instagram to share the news, and released a heartfelt statement thanking the show and all who works on it. She also paid tribute to the "wonderful viewers," who she labelled as "loyal," "supportive" and "the very best of company everyday."
And now that Holly has said her goodbyes, it begs the question: who will replace her?
Well, in an exclusive interview with OK!, This Morning's current competition host Jean Johansson revealed she'd 'love to sit on the sofa'.
The 41-year-old, who joined the coveted team bagging a prestigious role covering the regular travel segment, said: "I’m hoping this role is just the start. I’ve been really honest about my ambitions to get on the sofa one day and I’m one step closer."
The presenter, who hosts A Place in the Sun and Channel 4's Key to a Fortune, also praised the team for welcoming her with open arms.
"Everyone has been supportive and that’s not always the case in TV. It’s been great to work closely with Josie Gibson. We’ve been friends for years and she’s got so much warmth.”
But this wouldn’t be the first time Jean has outright asked for a job, as she openly admitted she was “banging on This Morning’s door for years” to get her current role.
“I’m now the proud competitions host. I just knew it was meant to be. My first competition was in my home area of Inverclyde. It was a really special moment.”
Jean also admitted she'd love to follow in Alison Hammond’s footsteps and “do The Great British Bake Off”.
Holly joined the This Morning team back in 2009 and announced in October that she was leaving the show in an emotional Instagram post. The 42-year-old has since been supported by her famous friends.
As part of the heartfelt statement, the TV personality explained that she’d made the decision “for me and my family” and thanked viewers at home for their support over the past decade.
Responding to Holly’s statement, fellow This Morning star Alison Hammond said that it was a “sad day” to hear the news.
“This is a very sad day ! Love you [heart face emoji],” she wrote on social media.
Meanwhile, Rochelle Humes added: “This is a sad day [crying and heart emoji] We love you x.”
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