'Our show is a virtual hug!'

Kym Marsh and Gethin Jones tell TV Times how they hope their live morning show can help the nation

- Rebecca Fletcher

MORNING LIVE NEW MONDAY-FRIDAY / BBC1 / 9.15AM / LIFESTYLE

Put the kettle on and settle back in your comfiest chair as morning television is about to get a whole lot livelier! From this Monday, Kym Marsh and Gethin Jones will be taking the helm of Morning Live, a new topical magazine series on BBC1.

‘I’m very much a morning person, to the point I can be quite annoying,’ grins Gethin, 42, a regular presenter on The One Show. ‘I’ve already warned Kym that I’ll try to channel my energy into the show and not annoy her!’

‘I’ll cope, as I’m a morning person, too!’ smiles former Corrie favourite Kym, 44.

Judging by the banter already flying between the pair, the show could prove a real ratings winner for the BBC Daytime team, airing every weekday straight after the news at 9.15am with a stream of trusted experts dropping in including Dr Xand van Tulleken (HealthCheck UK Live) and Rav Wilding (Crimewatch Roadshow).

Here, in an exclusive interview, Kym and Gethin chat to TV Times about what viewers can expect…

Congratulations on becoming the BBC’s morning dream team!

GETHIN: I’m chuffed to bits. Presenting a morning show like this is a dream for me. It’s been a doom-and-gloom year and it feels a privilege to be working. I’m really excited.

KYM: I dabbled in live presenting in the summer when I did [BBC1’s]