The gaffes, giggles and serious issues of 30 years of This Morning
The daytime TV stalwart is celebrating a birthday with a special show, writes Georgia Humphreys
Can you imagine daytime television without This Morning? The ITV show has played a pivotal part in changing the TV landscape since it first aired, back on 3 October 1988.
Here’s a snapshot of the best bits from three decades of This Morning.
Stellar line-up
Current presenting duo Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby have become household names thanks to their work on the show (and the fact they often burst into laughter, or tears, that can’t be stopped).
But there’s been a host of famous faces in their roles before them.
Husband-and-wife team Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan helped make This Morning the national institution it is (remember Madeley’s Ali G impression back in 2001, complete with a yellow tracksuit and drawnon beard?)
It was over to John Leslie and Fern Britton when the pair left, while names such as Twiggy, Lorraine Kelly and Coleen Nolan have also fronted the show.
Ruth Langsford, who has been presenting This Morning for 11 years, is a firm fan favourite, especially when co-presenting with her husband Eamonn Holmes, which happens regularly.
When Schofield and Willoughby are away, a range of celebs take their place – this summer saw the likes of Amanda Holden and Rylan Clark-neal, and Nigel Havers and Lisa Snowdon, step in.
Not forgetting notable This Morning sidekicks over the years, such as Dr Chris Steele – who has worked on the show since it first started – and the much-loved late agony aunt, Denise Robertson.
Star turns
A documentary airing on ITV called This Morning – 30 Unforgettable Years, explores the legacy of the show, and features clips of guests such as Hugh Jackman, Robbie Williams, David Gandy, Bradley Walsh and Keith Lemon.
Showbiz reporter Alison Hammond has had some
particularly exciting interviews – one with Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford went viral, becoming one of the most-talked about video clips of 2017.
The former Big Brother star sat down with the superstars about their film Blade Runner 2049, only for the duo to end up in hysterics, quaffing whisky in her company.
Animal mayhem
Introducing animals into the This Morning studio never bodes well...
Take a segment on Britain’s first guide ponies, when one decided to, erm, make his mark live on air.
Then there was the time actress Brenda Blethyn was a guest, and her dog became rather over friendly...
Yep, as the Vera star was mounted by her pooch Jack, viewers tweeted about being left in hysterics.
Cooking up a storm
Everyone loves watching the celebrity chefs show us new recipes to follow.
And all sorts of guests have had a go at helping them prepare a dish, including Prince Charles and Camilla (they made mutton hot-pot with chef Phil Vickery earlier this year).
The most memorable cooking segment though has to be one back in 2011, when Gino D’acampo vowed to cook naked if the ITV show won a National TV Award.
They did indeed bag an award, and D’acampo rustled up bistecca di pancetta in front of a very animated studio, wearing just an apron to hide his modesty.
TV firsts
What’s brilliant about This Morning is how easily it can
take on a more serious tone, and one topic they cover a lot is health.
People often go on the show to talk about their own shocking personal stories, while Dr Steele is on hand to give tips and discuss the latest health news. In 2014, he conducted the first ever live testicle examination, giving potentially life-saving advice as he demonstrated on a model how to self-check.
Awkward moments
We know all too well you can’t expect live shows to consistently go to plan.
Throw an unpredictable guest into the mix, and it’s a recipe for some much-talkedabout telly.
For example, Schofield and Willoughby have had many chats with the outspoken Katie Hopkins, which often end in clashes over her controversial opinions.
Once, the former Apprentice candidate questioned mothers giving their children geographical names like “Brooklyn”, before Schofield pointed out that her daughter’s name is India.
Unexpected laughs
An episode that has gone down in history was when Schofield and Willoughby presented the day after the show won big at the National Television Awards in 2016.
After a (much deserved) night out celebrating, the duo started the show lying down on the sofa, dressed in their outfits from the night before.
It was quite a sight, and the reaction from fans was priceless.
Bring on the next 30 years...
● Watch This Morning – 30 Unforgettable Years on ITV tonight at 7.30pm