Helen Skelton set to compete with ‘This Morning’, joins BBC Morning Live

Recently resigning from her BBC Radio 5 Live presenting position to prioritize time with her three children, Helen Skelton has swiftly transitioned to a more family-friendly role.

She's now a permanent host on BBC One's Morning Live, set to compete directly with This Morning in an extended time slot.

The overlap with This Morning, which now begins 45 minutes later at 10:45 am, marks a significant shift from its previous 10:00 am conclusion, intensifying the rivalry.

This move comes as This Morning undergoes a January revamp with new presenters following Holly Willoughby's unexpected departure in October.

Former Countryfile star Skelton, aged 40 and a mother of three with ex-husband Richie Myler (Ernie, eight; Louis, six; Elsie, 20 months), joins Michelle Ackerley and Gethin Jones as one of the main hosts of the revamped mid-morning magazine show.

Starting in January, Skelton will host Morning Live from Monday to Wednesday each week as part of its extended 75-minute format (up from 45 minutes).

The show will now air from 9:30 am to 10:45 am every weekday, surpassing the one-hour slot of its ITV counterpart, Lorraine, which airs from 9:00 am to 10:00 am.

Morning Live, featuring regular guest presenters like Sara Cox, Kimberley Walsh, Gaby Roslin, and Rav Wilding, has consistently outperformed its competitor in the ratings.

Skelton's departure from her Sunday morning radio show in August was attributed to the challenge of 'juggling' it with her responsibilities as a single parent.