Viewers thrilled Cat Deeley back on UK screens as the cheerful star sits in for Lorraine Kelly

Cat Deeley is filling in for Lorraine Kelly this week on her eponymous morning show – and viewers were loving her debut.

Cat, 43, is making a triumphant return to British screens after living in the US for 14 years.

The star has moved back home in recent weeks, and fans were happy to have her on morning television again, where she made a name for herself in the 1990s.

‘Ray of sunshine!’ Cat Deeley is filling in for Lorraine Kelly this week on her eponymous morning show – and viewers were loving her debut

Ever-cheerful, the presenter sailed through the live broadcast effortlessly, looking radiant in a primrose yellow dress adorned with a pink and green floral pattern.

‘Cat Deeley on #lorraine is fabulous ❤ A happy ray of sunshine for the morning!’ one person gushed on Twitter.

Another penned: ‘@catdeeley you’re a refreshing breath of fresh air… So glad you’re back in UK!’

Another penned: ‘Great to see Cat on… so natural well done Cat… you[‘re] amazing!’

Ever-cheerful: The presenter sailed through the live broadcast effortlessly, looking radiant in a primrose yellow dress adorned with a pink and green floral pattern

Ever-cheerful: The presenter sailed through the live broadcast effortlessly, looking radiant in a primrose yellow dress adorned with a pink and green floral pattern

Fan-favourite! Cat Deeley on #lorraine is fabulous ❤ A happy ray of sunshine for the morning!' one person gushed on Twitter

Fan-favourite! Cat Deeley on #lorraine is fabulous ❤ A happy ray of sunshine for the morning!’ one person gushed on Twitter

Filling in: Cat, 43, is making a triumphant return to British screens after living in the US for 14 years

Filling in: Cat, 43, is making a triumphant return to British screens after living in the US for 14 years

Someone else gushed: ‘Ah love #CatDeeley on TV. She’s like a shot o strong coffee! A blast from the past [for] me!’

Another demanded Cat be ‘on UK TV all the time please’ while someone else demanded Lorraine be replaced with the starlet, tweeting: ‘Get #Lorraine off and #CatDeeley in. #itv is boring enough as it is with repetitive programmes each and everyday. Back to #bbc next week while Cat is off the TV!’

Cat had told Lorraine she was nervous about sitting in for her while the Scots presenter takes Easter off.

Making an appearance on Lorraine on Thursday, ahead of hosting the show, she said: ‘I hope I’m half as good as you Lorraine. I’m a little bit terrified I haven’t even been properly dressed from the waist down since God knows when!’

Terrified: Cat had told Lorraine she was nervous about sitting in for her while the Scots presenter takes Easter off

Terrified: Cat had told Lorraine she was nervous about sitting in for her while the Scots presenter takes Easter off

Departure: The presenter will fill in for veteran broadcaster Lorraine Kelly (pictured) for five shows next week and gushed she was looking forward to reuniting with some 'old friends'

Departure: The presenter will fill in for veteran broadcaster Lorraine Kelly (pictured) for five shows next week and gushed she was looking forward to reuniting with some ‘old friends’

After welcoming Cat onto the show, veteran broadcaster Lorraine told her: ‘I’m so glad you can do this! I think, obviously, you’ll be brilliant.’

And once Cat admitted to being ‘terrified’, Lorraine assured her: ‘You’ll have some fantastic fun. We’ve got some fantastic guests lined up.’

Later in the show, Lorraine revealed that all Cat has requested for her guest-hosting gig is bananas and coffee, with Cat confirming: ‘Those are my morning staples – really good, strong coffee and a ‘nana!’

Cat will fill in for the veteran broadcaster for five shows next week, and gushed she was looking forward to reuniting with some ‘old friends’ on the chat show.

As promised, she welcomed Louise Redknapp on Tuesday, as the ladies reminisced about their time on SM:TV Live sketch The Further Adventures Of Cat The Dog.

Hilarious: Cat and Louise Redknapp reminisced about their time on SM:TV Live sketch The Further Adventures Of Cat The Dog when they reunited on Lorraine on Tuesday

Hilarious: Cat and Louise Redknapp reminisced about their time on SM:TV Live sketch The Further Adventures Of Cat The Dog when they reunited on Lorraine on Tuesday

This was a mainstay on the classic ITV children’s show, which debuted in 1998, with Louise, 46, making appearances as her sidekick in the sketch.

Cat famously sported a frizzy black wig and spectacles with her character’s signature mangled teeth as she recounted her clumsy adventures alongside her more glamorous co-star.

Chuckling as she viewed clips from the show, Louise said: ‘I used to catch those teeth now and again I think! There was never any judgement, I think sometimes if you mucked up as well that made the morning.

‘People enjoyed the party where your wig was falling off, or I forgot what I was doing because I was laughing at you.’

Elsewhere during their reunion, Louise spoke about her reasons for writing her revealing book You’ve Got This: And Other Things I Wish I Had Known.

Laugh: Cat and Louise were in fits of laughter as they looked back over their days on the show

Laugh: Cat and Louise were in fits of laughter as they looked back over their days on the show

Duo: The pair were seen getting into hilarious scrapes as they starred together in the sketches

Duo: The pair were seen getting into hilarious scrapes as they starred together in the sketches

She said: ‘There’s a lot of people out there that needed to read honesty from people and realise that their lives are similar. There’s a lot of lovely bits in the book as well.

‘I wanted to write a bit about everything. I’m hoping there’s something in the book for everybody, whether you are a mum who is hoping to get their kids into stage school, right up until the current day.’

The former Eternal star went on: ‘Lockdown has been a trying time. Homeschooling and all of those things have been pretty interesting, especially if you’ve got teenagers. But I really wanted to talk about the mum stuff in the book.

‘There are also struggles with being a mum. You struggle with the guilt, but also there’s amazing times, letting your kids just be a and grow up, and learning their own ways is important.’

Memorable costume: Cat was regularly seen sporting a frizzy black wig and spectacles with her character's signature mangled teeth

Memorable costume: Cat was regularly seen sporting a frizzy black wig and spectacles with her character’s signature mangled teeth

Remembering the teeth: Chuckling as she viewed clips from the show, singer Louise said, 'I used to catch those teeth now and again I think'

Remembering the teeth: Chuckling as she viewed clips from the show, singer Louise said, ‘I used to catch those teeth now and again I think’

Louise, who shares her sons with ex-husband Jamie Redknapp, also proudly informed Cat that her sons are starting to show her affection once again. 

She said: ‘The good news is that it does happen, the kisses when you get out of the car do stop, but it comes back. My eldest Charlie is nearly 17, and is very proud to give his mum a hug and a cuddle, slightly embarrassing!’

However, while the teens dote on their mother, they’re far less affected by the fame she has enjoyed over the past few decades.

‘To them I’m just mum,’ admitted Louise. ‘We see TV and music videos out and about, but when I come indoors, it’s hair in a ponytail, tracksuit, shouting up the stairs for someone to come downstairs and eat the food I’ve cooked for them.’

However, she revealed, there is more music to come, as Louise told Cat: ‘I’m currently writing in the studio, a very weird experience over Zoom. I’m writing new music most definitely, just loving doing the music as you imagine.’

Tome: Elsewhere during their reunion, Louise spoke about her reasons for writing her revealing book You've Got This: And Other Things I Wish I Had Known

Tome: Elsewhere during their reunion, Louise spoke about her reasons for writing her revealing book You’ve Got This: And Other Things I Wish I Had Known

Affection: Louise, who shares her sons with ex-husband Jamie Redknapp, also proudly informed Cat that her sons are starting to show her affection once again

Affection: Louise, who shares her sons with ex-husband Jamie Redknapp, also proudly informed Cat that her sons are starting to show her affection once again

Cat will present Lorraine from next week beginning April 5, with Ranvir Singh set to present the following week from April 12.

Lorraine editor Victoria Kennedy added: ‘Next week the lovely Cat Deeley will take to the helm of Lorraine, providing viewers at home with much-needed Easter enjoyment.

‘As a huge fan of SMTV, I’m more than just a bit delighted. And of course we look forward to welcoming Ranvir back too. We’ve got a great lineup of Easter guests joining us.’

Back home: After living in the United States for many years, Cat returned to the UK last year with her husband Patrick Kielty so they could live closer to her British family

Back home: After living in the United States for many years, Cat returned to the UK last year with her husband Patrick Kielty so they could live closer to her British family

Cat lived happily in Los Angeles with her husband Patrick Kielty for over 14 years. However they put their Beverly Hills mansion on the market for $4.9 million (£3.8 million), in August last year. 

The couple now reside in a north London property together with their sons Milo, five, and James two, so that they can live closer to their British family.  

A source told The Sun: ‘Cat was discussing putting the house up for sale months ago, they didn’t want to rent it out because they were considering buying a property in the UK. This is more of a permanent move. 

Pals: The trio revived their iconic Chums sketch with a star-studded cast, leaving fans thrilled with the trip down memory lane

Pals: The trio revived their iconic Chums sketch with a star-studded cast, leaving fans thrilled with the trip down memory lane

‘She is a household name, and they both made it work in LA, but Patrick gets a lot more work back home, and she could always fly back and forth when the pandemic eases up.’ 

The insider added that both Cat and Patrick were ‘more than ready for this’ as they dream of raising their children in the UK.

Last month Cat delighted fans when she reunited with Ant and Dec for a reprisal of their iconic SMTV Chums sketch on Saturday Night Takeaway.

Later in the show, Cat was hilariously duped by her pals as she unwittingly appeared in their undercover segment.

Lorraine weekdays from 9am on ITV and catch up on the ITV Hub.