Phillip Schofield's message to Ben Shephard after replacing him on This Morning exposed

This Morning's newest presenters, Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard, received well wishes from former hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield upon taking over the reins.

Phil and Holly were at the helm of the beloved ITV programme from 2009 until 2023, with Phil's departure coming last year following his admission of an "unwise but not illegal" affair with a younger colleague, as he described it.

Holly, who initially stayed on, made the decision to leave in October, citing "me and my family" as the reason.

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Cat and Ben stepped into the roles earlier this year and are due back from their summer hiatus next month.

They shared that their predecessors had reached out ahead of their first show, reports the Mirror.

Ben told The Telegraph: "I know Holly very well and I've been in touch with her. She sent us both flowers when we started, and I got a message from Phil as well. They said it's a special, precious show and you're going to love it, just make the most of it."

Cat added: "It was the most beautiful surprise to get a gorgeous bunch of flowers and a handwritten note in my dressing room from Holly. So we've been texting, and we're a bit like, 'When the dust settles we'll have a glass of champagne'."

Cat and Ben are set for a grand return to This Morning, and hot on their heels will be Friday presenters Allison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary, with a comeback slated for September 6. Marking the occasion with landmark festivities, this fab four ascended Television Centre for an unprecedented photoshoot.

Captured amid laughter and drones, their spirited encounter atop the building has been crystallised in a social media reveal,