Regular Good Morning Britain presenter Richard Madeley was notably absent from the ITV show on Monday morning. Instead, Paul Brand stepped in to fill his shoes as co-star Susanna made an announcement about Richard’s health.
Opening up the breakfast show, she shared: “Richard Madeley was due to be on air this morning but is a little bit poorly, so get well soon, Richard, who will be watching from home as Paul Brand takes your hot seat.” Paul added: “Good morning and get well soon, Richard.” He then quipped: “But come and help me out because I don’t know what I’m doing and I have never sat next to you before either! So it’s fresh territory for me, that’s for sure.” Susanna asked: “What fresh hell is this?” but Paul responded: “No, it’s been very nice, you’ve been very welcoming.” His co-star then laughed: “It’s not often you’ll get a hug from me. Former presenters included!”
Before the programme began, Susanna posted to her social media account to give fans a heads up about the last minute change. She shared a selfie with Paul to X/Twitter, as she wrote: “MORNING! The brilliant @PaulBrandITV with us in the hot seat this morning @gmb.”
Many fans seemed impressed with the change, as one demanded: “Brilliant, please tell us that Paul is permanent?” Another echoed: “Someone decent with you finally.”
“Paul’s great @GMB. You should have him presenting more often,” someone else wrote. While one more added: “So @PaulBrandTV is a breath of fresh air on GMB. No shouting this morning, it’s great. #gmb.”
However, one more concerned viewer asked: “Where’s Richard? GMB needs good journalists, not another nodding dog.”
Richard previously discussed his health struggles linked to a 20-year habit, confessing it puts him at increased risk of cancer.
The Good Morning Britain host, 69, became a smoker despite his father dying from a smoking-related illness at the tender age of 49 – when Richard was just 21.
He tried and failed to quit numerous times, but it was an impactful interview that finally helped him break free from cigarettes. He had spoken to John Diamond, journalist and first husband of Nigella Lawson, who tragically suffered from terminal throat cancer caused by smoking and that was a turning point in his health journey.
Richard was “so shaken” by the discussion that he swore off cigarettes completely. In his column for the Daily Express, Madeley wrote about his personal journey.
He explained: “Cigarettes killed my father at 49 (I was 21 when he died). Yet still I continued to smoke, despite numerous attempts to give up.
“I finally managed to stop aged 40, after interviewing John Diamond, Nigella Lawson’s first husband, who was dying (horribly) from smoking-induced throat cancer. I was so shaken by the encounter I never touched a cigarette again.
“Even so, I’ve been left with a permanently impaired respiratory system and my cancer risk will never return completely to normal.”
