Dermot O'Leary acknowledged the scandals that have affected This Morning over the past two years as he accepted the Daytime programme award at the National Television Awards on Wednesday, praising the show's backstage staff for their endurance.
Speaking on stage at London's O2 after This Morning reclaimed the gong it had missed in the previous two years, O'Leary said the team "have had to endure an awful lot" while working on the live daily programme and noted the difficulty of producing two and a half hours of live television "under the spotlight of being on the front page of the news every day." He presents the Friday edition of the show alongside Alison Hammond.
O'Leary did not name individuals in his remarks, which were widely interpreted as referring to a series of high-profile departures and criminal cases connected to the long-running ITV chat show. In 2023, former presenter Philip Schofield left the programme after admitting to an affair with a younger male colleague. Also in 2023, Holly Willoughby announced her departure from This Morning after learning of a plot by a former security guard, Gavin Plumb, to kidnap, rape and murder her. Plumb was later convicted on all counts and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 15 years.
Willoughby issued a statement after the sentencing thanking police, prosecutors and legal teams, saying in part that women should not be made to feel unsafe in their daily lives. O'Leary on Wednesday commended "the bravery of his previous victims for speaking up," saying that without their testimony the conviction might not have been possible.
Following the departures of Schofield and Willoughby, the daytime programme adjusted its presenting line-up. Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley joined the show and were among those who walked the red carpet and joined colleagues on stage to collect the award. Cat Deeley said of the programme: "We are so lucky to get to do this show, we all love it. Every single person who comes on, we love this show and it's like having a family."
This Morning's win at the NTAs marks a return to recognition after a period in which the show faced intense media scrutiny and structural changes. Producers have continued to deliver the live format, which combines news, features and entertainment, while management and on-air talent navigated the aftermath of public controversies.
O'Leary's remarks highlighted the strain felt by production teams who work behind the cameras, noting the unusual pressure of daily live broadcasting when the programme itself becomes a subject of national headlines. He described reclaiming the award as something the team would "never take lightly," saying the honour "means an awful lot, especially to those people who have been through the mill."