Amid swirling rumours, This Morning hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley have come forward to clarify the state of their relationship.

The duo – who stepped in as permanent hosts following the departure of Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield – have faced ongoing rumours of a behind-the-scenes feud.

“We are so similar; the same things make us laugh. She’s quick, witty and smart and loves a bit of slapstick,” Ben explained, expressing his admiration for Cat’s personality and work ethic. “I can’t get my head around how easy she is. She’s the first to laugh and take the mickey out of herself, which is a hugely important quality.”

Cat reciprocated Ben’s sentiments with equal enthusiasm, saying she “can’t believe how well we get on”.

Despite their strong rapport, the transition hasn’t been without its challenges. The show has reportedly experienced a notable dip in viewership, descending from over 1.5 million viewers to just 486,000 recently.

Meanwhile, BBC’s rival show, Morning Live, has seen an increase in its viewership. This has fuelled further discussions about the success of the new This Morning line-up.

Additionally, both presenters were notably snubbed by the Best Presenters category at the National Television Awards.

This exclusion added to the scrutiny surrounding their on-screen chemistry.

In response to the media’s intense focus on their relationship, Ben shared: “I can’t tell you how unaffected Cat is by the scrutiny, she doesn’t look at any of it. I’ll send her the headlines of the day, the ones about me telling her to shut up or fleeing out of the studio. We’ve never talked about it. And the way This Morning is consumed is across a massive platform.”

Cat also highlighted the massive attention they receive. “How many eyeballs are on your social media, for example? It’s something like four million people,” she said.

Ending on a positive note, Ben remarked on their pairing, saying they’ve “struck really lucky”.