Susanna Reid gave a shout-out to her colleagues past and present as she reflected on the 20th anniversary of her breakfast TV debut.
During Wednesday’s edition of Good Morning Britain, it was revealed that it had been two decades since the daytime star made her debut at the helm of BBC Breakfast.
“I started with Bill Turnbull, and it is a real shame not to be able to celebrate with him,” Susanna recalled, referring to her former BBC co-host, who died last year.
“I’d love to be able to text him this morning, and talk to him about that. He was absolutely brilliant. But luckily, I’m surrounded by other brilliant people. And so thank you very much indeed for being with me on the journey.”
After praising her GMB colleagues Ben Shephard, Charlotte Hawkins and Sean Fletcher, who made up the show’s original presenting team when it launched in 2014, she then spoke in support of Piers Morgan, who fronted the show with her for five years.
“A huge thank you to Piers Morgan, of this parish,” she said. “[I spent] five years alongside him.
“He made me bolder, he made me more argumentative, more difficult, I think. More probing. Asking the tricky questions.
“Went into battle every morning, it’s been slightly different since then, but definitely, big thanks to everyone I’ve presented with.”
“So,” she added. “20 years. Getting up at 3.45. And I’m still here.”
Piers abruptly left GMB in 2021, the same day he stormed off set after his co-host Alex Beresford challenged him on comments he’d made about Meghan Markle.
A day earlier, the divisive broadcaster cast doubt on the Duchess of Sussex’s claims that she’d experienced suicidal feelings during her time as a senior member of the Royal Family, which was challenged by Susanna at the time.
Piers’ remarks sparked a record number of Ofcom complaints.
Piers now hosts his own show on TalkTV, and said last year that his exit affected his relationship with his former “TV wife”, Susanna.
“It’s difficult, you know. We had this arranged marriage, which turned out to be very successful. And then we suddenly got divorced one afternoon. And that was it! Gone!” he recalled.
“I went from seeing Susanna Reid in her curlers and her nightie every day at four in the morning to not seeing her. We stay in touch through texting and stuff, but it was all a bit dramatic and sad, really. I think we both feel that.”
Wednesday was a big day for Susanna, not just because of her 20-year anniversary in breakfast TV, but also because it was announced her interview with then-prime minister Boris Johnson has been nominated for a TV Bafta.
Good Morning Britain airs every weekday from 6am on ITV1.