It’s been 23 years since they shocked This Morning fans by stepping down from presenting duties.<\/p>\n
But, viewers had to do a double take when they tuned into the ITV daytime show on Wednesday, as Richard Madeley was back on the sofa.<\/p>\n
In a role reversal, the broadcaster, 68, was a guest rather than a presenter, promoting his forthcoming novel and being interviewed by Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard.<\/p>\n
But, opening his segment, Madeley – who presented the magazine show with wife Judy Finnigan from 1988-2001 – was seen sitting next to Deeley, 47, while the old theme tune and credits played, giving viewers a blast from the past.<\/p>\n
\u2018Hi, welcome back to your Wednesday’s This Morning with me Richard Madeley and Cat Deeley here,’ he said. \u2018A lot more coming up for you on the programme today – how’s your morning been so far?’<\/p>\n
This Morning viewers had to do a double take when they tuned into the ITV daytime show on Wednesday, as Richard Madeley was back on the sofa alongside new host Cat Deeley\u00a0<\/p>\n
In a role reversal, the broadcaster was a guest rather than a presenter, promoting his forthcoming novel and being interviewed by Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard<\/p>\n
After opening the show with Cat, he was interrupted by current host Ben Shephard, who said: \u2018Excuse me. Madeley, go on – other side of the sofa’\u00a0<\/p>\n
He was then interrupted by current host Shephard, who said: \u2018Excuse me. Madeley, go on – other side of the sofa.’<\/p>\n
‘Don’t spend so long in the loo then,’ Madeley joked before moving across to the guest sofa and letting Shephard, 49, take his seat.<\/p>\n
Reflecting on his years on the show, Madeley admitted that some segments including a live Viagra trial and a live grizzly bear wouldn’t be allowed today.<\/p>\n
\u2018He went for me. It was a grizzly bear. We must’ve been mad. So much of what we used to do on This Morning – like the live Viagra test for example – you just wouldn’t do today,’ he said.<\/p>\n
\u2018You’d have Ofcom down your neck. But a live grizzly bear in the studio? Insane.’<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n He said of the show’s longevity: \u2018When we launched it in October \u201888, there was a lot of jealousy [from others] who had pitched for the show and hadn’t got it, and Granada had got it.<\/p>\n \u2018And so there was a kind of consensus that it would be off air by Christmas, but ITV gave it one year. In 1988 there wasn’t television like it.<\/p>\n \u2018We went to America and we looked at American daytime shows which have been running for about 20 years. We took a lot of inspiration from them.<\/p>\n Reflecting on his years on the show, Madeley admitted that some segments including a live Viagra trial and a live grizzly bear wouldn’t be allowed today\u00a0<\/p>\n ‘It was a grizzly bear. We must’ve been mad. So much of what we used to do on This Morning – like the live Viagra test for example – you just wouldn’t do today,’ he said<\/p>\n Madeley was there to discuss his dark new novel Father’s Day, \uc5e0\ube45\uc2a4\uc5d0\uc2a4 \uc0ac\uc6a9\ubc95<\/a> about a man who seeks revenge on his daughter’s online abuser’\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2018We piloted it and then we went on air and we were confident that we had a format that would last and look, it’s still going.’<\/p>\n Madeley, who now frequently appears as a relief presenter on Good Morning Britain, was there to discuss his dark new novel Father’s Day, about a man who seeks revenge on his daughter’s online abuser.\u2018<\/p>\n [It’s about] the power of revenge. What would a father do?’ he said.\u2018What would you do if it was your daughter who had been cajoled into killing herself? Taking her own life. What would you do to the man responsible?’<\/p>\n