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This Morning presenter returns to work after lengthy absence

Former I'm A Celebrity star resumes duties on daytime show

Ferne McCann returned to normal presenting duties on Thursday’s episode of This Morning, following several months away.

The former TOWIE star joined the ITV daytime show as a showbiz reporter in 2016, but didn’t work on the programme for a large part of the last year.

Although she appeared as a guest a handful of times since then, today marked her official return to TV hosting.

Ferne marked her return to This Morning screens by reporting from behind the scenes of the new Cilla Black musical.

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The former I’m A Celebrity star told viewers she was thrilled to be catching up with actress Kara Lily Hayworth, who pays the late Cilla in the critically-acclaimed show.

She joined Kara for a chat in the theatre, which saw Kara revealing Cilla’s close friend Paul O’Grady had been to the press night and told her he was in tears.

Ferne then interviewed other Cilla cast members backstage and watched a rehearsal.

Giving her verdict after watching a full performance, Ferne said: “That was amazing! What a performance! And don’t just take my word for it, the whole audience was full of compliments.

“It looks like Kara really has won the hearts of her audience.”

Ferne has been on leave from This Morning since May, after announcing her first pregnancy.

The Essex star confirmed she was expecting shortly after her ex-boyfriend Arthur Collins carried out an acid attack at a London nightclub.

Today marked her first TV job since Arthur was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Ferne’s last appearance on This Morning was as a guest, back in December, when she introduced her baby daughter Sunday – who is Arthur’s daughter – to viewers.

She made two previous appearances in May and October to discuss her pregnancy.

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Ferne has said of the past year: “For me, there was always a light at the end of the tunnel [with my pregnancy]. I can’t lie, it has been a turbulent seven months for me but I had something to look forward to so that was my focus.”

She added: “Having a baby wasn’t in the plan for this year but you can’t plan life, you know? It just happened. I wasn’t the most maternal person but now I feel so maternal and so in love with her.”

This Morning airs weekdays at 10.30am on ITV.


Nancy Brown
Associate Editor

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