Kate Garraway set to replace Piers Morgan on ITV show Life Stories
Piers Morgan has quit his ITV show Life Stories after 12 years and 100 episodes.
The job will be taken over by his former Good Morning Britain colleague Kate Garraway, who Piers will interview for his final instalment of the show.
Announcing the news to his 8 million Twitter followers Piers said: “BREAKING NEWS: I’m quitting Life Stories after 12 years and 100 shows. My final one will be with my fabulous friend @Kategarraway and she will then present the remaining 3 planned shows of the next series as I leave ITV to host my new global daily show.”
(Image: Getty Images for BAFTA LA)
The presenter added: “It’s been a blast!”
The outspoken host, 56, is leaving ITV as he embarks on the next stage of his career with talkTV.
Piers has fronted the hit show since it began in 2009, and his guests have included Captain Sir Tom Moore, Joan Collins, James Corden and Simon Cowell.
Asked how he feels about Kate filling his shoes, the presenter said that Kate is: “One of his favourite people in the world.”
(Image: ITV)
His final episode, featuring Kate Garraway, is likely to focus on her husband Derek’s battle with Covid-19, and subsequent Long-Covid.
Piers explained that he thinks Kate is the perfect choice for his final episode.
“The way she has handled the devastating family situation with Derek sums her up – Kate’s such a courageous, stoic, inspiring and tough cookie. She’s also had a fascinating life and I think viewers will find her story as enthralling as I know it to be,” the presenter wrote.
Kate’s husband, Derek Draper, contracted Covid-19 in March 2020 and was in hospital for a year.
He was placed in an induced coma and although he has since beaten the virus, he has been left with a series of long-term complex health complications.
(Image: Instagram/Piers Morgan)
Mum-of-two Kate won Best Authored Documentary at the 2021 National Television Awards for Finding Derek, a powerful film that follows Kate and her children Darcey, 15 and Billy, 12 as they coped with Derek’s illness.
When accepting the award at the O2 Arena an emotional Kate said: “Thank you so much for voting, I wonder if the reason why you did is because our story is your story. I think we’ve all been touched by the pandemic, whether it’s livelihood or mental health.”
Kate and Derek recently celebrated their 16th wedding anniversary.
They had planned to renew their wedding vows while celebrating their 15th wedding anniversary in 2020.
