Good Morning Britain (GMB) presenter Kate Garraway has congratulated her former co-host Ben Shephard after completing his first week on ITV's This Morning.

Shephard took over as the new co-host of This Morning alongside Cat Deeley on Monday (March 11).

The pair replaced Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby who vacated the roles in 2023 after more than 20 and 14 years respectively.

Schofield left the show and ITV in May last year due to an alleged off-air rift with Willoughby and after admitting to an “unwise but not illegal” relationship with a younger male colleague.

While Willoughby stepped down from her role on This Morning in October saying she had made the “decision for me and my family”.

Kate Garraway congratulates Ben Shephard after a "fantastic first week" on This Morning

Garraway - who only recently returned to GMB after time off following the death of her husband Derek Draper - took to Instagram on Thursday (March 14) posting a congratulatory message to her former GMB co-host (Shephard) and Deeley. 

Garraway in her post said: "Congratulations #bencat !!! What a fantastic first week of shows on @TM - never in doubt but fab to see - you two were made for the show! 

"@catdeeley can’t wait to give you a congratulatory hug in person when on the show very soon xxx #perfectpairing."

Shephard revealed in February, upon his appointment as the new host of This Morning, departing GMB was one of the "hardest decisions" he'd ever had to make because it meant leaving his "on-screen wife" Garraway after 20 years.

He said: "I’m grateful that my extended GMB family is only next door so that whenever I get nostalgic, I know I’m not going to be far away.

“Although I’ll miss being on screen with them, my later starts mean I may be able to hang out with them all a bit more.

“One of the hardest decisions of course is knowing that my mornings with Kate, my on-screen wife of nearly 20 years, is coming to an end.

“Her journey has been well documented, and I think we would all agree how remarkable she has been over the last four years.

"I won’t miss the mess but I’ve learned so much from her, as I have from all of the people I’ve been lucky enough to work alongside.”

Opening their first show on Monday, Deeley said she and Shephard were “excited” to be on the show.

Shephard agreed, saying “It is very special, we are thrilled to be here”, and thanked those who have sent them messages of support.

Sir Rod Stewart and Jools Holland were among the first celebrity guests to join Shephard and Deeley on the This Morning sofa.

Shephard and Deeley will host This Morning each week from Monday to Thursday, while Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary will take over presenting duties on Fridays.

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This new structure ends a mass rotation of presenters in recent months on the ITV show.

Since the departures of Schofield and Willoughby, This Morning has been hosted by a range of presenters including the likes of Sian Welby, Rylan Clark, Rochelle Humes, Craig Doyle and Josie Gibson.

This Morning airs weekdays at 10am on ITV1 and ITVX.