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Why I Love...This Morning

Phillip Schofield and Fern Britton
  • Posted at 3:08pm
  • 19 September 2007
  • by KateCoffey-RT
  • 2 comments

We're all familiar with daytime television having either been a) off work ill b) skiving c) a student or d) "working from home" (also see b) at least once in our lives. We therefore know that it is the fastest and most effective way to induce a mild brain-coma.

According to TV schedulers, around mid-morning on a weekday viewers don't need intellectual stimulation (apparently this doesn't start until 7:00pm when BBC4 springs to life with a documentary on the 1915 Armenian genocide). Instead we must make do with hypnotically bland property programmes or a re-run of Friends episode 3,783 (The One Where They Take Funny and Bludgeon It to Death).

It would all be very grave indeed were it not for This Morning, reigning supreme in this otherwise tumbleweed slot of daytime TV. How can watching someone house-hunting in Grimsby, or the monotony of a once-great American sitcom, compete with 160 minutes of features on the likes of man-boobs, garden gadgets, accidental hysterectomies and the latest craze in Hollywood hair with resident showbiz "expert"?

Back then, before Richard and Judy upgraded to teatime on Channel 4 (giving the former even more scope to flaunt his Alan Partridge-esque demeanour), guests on the show would have to hike up to Liverpool. There they would have to contend not only with being interviewed by mad Madeley, but also being displayed in front of a large window in full view of local shoppers, who tended to gape and point distractingly throughout.

Back then, before Richard and Judy upgraded to teatime on Channel 4 (giving the former even more scope to flaunt his Alan Partridge-esque demeanour), guests on the show would have to hike up to Liverpool. There they would have to contend not only with being interviewed by mad Madeley, but also being displayed in front of a large window in full view of local shoppers, who tended to gape and point distractingly throughout.

Ah, how times have changed. Now in its sleek South Bank residence, the main danger comes not from a random act of exposure on live TV, but from whether Fern Britton and Phillip Schofield can stop giggling in order to audibly read the autocue.

Whereas Richard's immature antics were (and are) generally checked by mumsy Judy (usually by tutting and playing fretfully with her necklace), ITV has given full licence to Fern and Phil to exercise juvenile humour at will - usually inspired by some innuendo involving a courgette during a cookery item. You can't help but snigger along with them.

This is ultimately why we watch it. Programmes are only as good as their presenters (Terry Wogan's acerbic commentary makes even Eurovision enjoyable), and just as we can't imagine Richard without Judy, without Fern, Phil would just be that annoying smug bloke with a silver hairdo (less George Clooney, more the "before" in a Just For Men advert) who used to work in a broom cupboard with a gopher. Yet together they have a genuine chemistry as a couple that the programme relies on - even if it is inspired by the back-catalogue of Carry On films.

Slapstick aside, with Fern 'n' Phil firmly at the helm, This Morning will undoubtedly continue its unwavering dominance of our daytime television universe. It's been going so long it would be treason to watch anything else anyway. It's practically a national institution. Daytime without This Morning would be like fish without chips, gin without tonic, Morecambe without Wise. Long may it reign!

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Comments

  • Posted on 04 October 2008
  • at 9:27pm
  • by Tracey

I love Phil and Fern together also but I was shocked to hear that Fern will be leaving (I think) anyway. Apparently she was not offered enough money and has decided to work at home instead. I am VERY sorry

  • Posted on 14 December 2007
  • at 2:42pm
  • by wonesy

you don't really watch this, do you?

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