Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary have reportedly gotten higher ratings on This Morning than their predecessors Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford.
The presenter, 45, and X-Factor host, 47, have proven to be a hit on the show as they were said to have drawn in 1.41 million viewers during their debut show last Friday.
According to reports from The Sun on Friday, the pair -who have only had two shows together so far- received 200,000 more viewers tuning into their show than Ruth and Eamonn’s final appearance in December.
Success: Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary ‘prove a hit on This Morning as they get higher ratings than their predecessors Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes’, it was reported on Friday
The publication claimed that while Alison and Dermot drew in more viewers, Ruth and Eamonn had a bigger audience share of 23 per cent compared to their successor’s 21 per cent.
MailOnline has contacted ITV representatives for comment.
Eamonn and Ruth, who presented the Friday morning slot for 14 years, will host the ITV show from Monday to Thursday during the schools’ six-week summer holiday.
The duo’s first show left viewers split as many claims the gaffe-ridden show was ‘like a kids’ programme,’ with one even comparing their ‘stilted’ chemistry to the 2001 pairing of Coleen Nolan and Twiggy.
A hit: According to reports Alison and Dermot received 200,000 more viewers tuning in to their show than Ruth and Eamonn’s final show in December (pictured)
Ratings: The publication claimed that while Alison and Dermot drew in more viewers, Ruth and Eamonn had a bigger audience share of 23 per cent compared to their successor’s 21 per cent
Alison and Dermot’s first show as permanent hosts saw blunders including grilling Graham Norton about his deceased dog, and mistakenly asking Fay Ripley about her two sons, only for the actress to clarify she has a son and daughter.
Eamonn and Ruth appeared on screen for their last show in December, during which he made a dig about bosses ‘getting rid’ of them during a chat about discounted trees, before the pair both grew emotional while saying goodbye.
During their sign off, Eamonn said: ‘You won’t be watching us anymore on a Friday, Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary will be here on Fridays here on in.
‘Please we would ask you to be as nice and lovely to them, friends of ours as they are, we’re very close to Alison and she has been to us for the past 15 years.
Oh dear! Alison and Dermot’s first show as permanent hosts saw blunders including grilling Graham Norton about his deceased dog
We appreciate all of the love you have sent to us today, we send it all back to you, have a very merry Christmas, it’s been lovely having you and I think we will see everybody again.’
Ruth added: ‘We will see everybody again in February, you’ve haven’t got rid of us, we’re back for the half term. So it’s a tricky year for everybody and we hope we helped you a little bit and thank you, have a merry Christmas see you in February’.
It has recently been claimed that the longtime presenters have reportedly been told to keep quiet about their axing.
Dig: Eamonn and Ruth appeared on screen for their last show in December, during which he made a dig about bosses ‘getting rid’ of them
According to sources, the presenters have been advised to not address losing their slot on the ITV programme to avoid missing out on more work opportunities.
A source told The Sun: ‘Ruth and Eamonn are obviously upset and feel humiliated about being put out to pasture.
‘But they’ve been advised to keep schtum or risk losing more work. It could damage their brand if they lash out.’
MailOnline has previously contacted representatives for Eamonn, Ruth and ITV for comment.
Hosting duties: The pair had filled in for Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield on Fridays for 15 years
Eamonn also took to social media earlier this month to reveal the couple are ‘going to get on with their lives’.
It was previously reported that Alison is in duty of care meetings after racist trolling over her replacing Eamonn and Ruth on This Morning.
The TV presenter is said to be struggling to cope with the ‘vitriol’ she has been receiving online and it has prompted the channel to step in to ensure she is ‘staying positive.’
Fed up? Eamonn reportedly told friends he was ‘sick of office politics’ ahead of the pair’s last stint as two of the show’s main presenters
It was also reported by The Mail On Sunday that Alison previously turned down the presenting job as she feared it would be seen as ‘tokenism.’
Friends said the job offer – just two months after the show’s editor Martin Frizell pledged to staff that he would appoint a black presenter – left her feeling ‘uncomfortable.’
According to sources, she was happy to remain in her role as entertainment reporter, but Frizell persuaded her to sign up for the bigger presenting job on the popular show.
‘Alison has been on This Morning for more than a decade and had never been offered this job before,’ said one source.
Claims: It has also been claimed that Eamonn and Ruth have reportedly been told to keep quiet about their axing
‘Then Martin makes a big announcement that he wants a black presenter and she is wanted for the role.
‘ITV decided last year they wanted diversity on their programmes and then they decided to offer the presenting job to Alison. If you look up the dictionary definition of what tokenism means, then this is it.
‘Alison was happy as she was, she loved interviewing the likes of George Clooney. She is amazing at it and it was enough for her.’
Alison also felt torn about replacing Ruth, but was reassured by her close friend that she should take the job and had her blessing.
Job offer: It was also reported by The Mail On Sunday that Alison previously turned down the presenting job as she feared it would be seen as ‘tokenism’ (pictured in March)