Martin Frizell is stepping down as editor of ITV’s This Morning present after 10 years in cost, it has been revealed.
Frizell, married to former GMTV presenter Fiona Phillips, joined the broadcaster in 2014 as editor of Free Girls earlier than taking on at This Morning.
She had revealed in July 2023 that she was recognized with Alzheimer’s the earlier 12 months.
One ITV supply mentioned at the moment: ‘It’s the 24/7 nature of the position which isn’t conducive to Fiona’s sickness and subsequent 12 months he thinks that he’s going to need to be round a lot extra for her.
‘His household commitments are about to alter and he wants a job that may mix into that moderately than a job which takes over his whole life.’
Martin Frizell, pictured in February this 12 months, is stepping down as editor of ITV’s This Morning programme after 10 years in cost
Frizell is seen right here with former This Morning presenters Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield on the TV Selection Awards in September 2019
ITV at the moment mentioned he could be leaving this position in Spring subsequent 12 months.
Frizell mentioned in a press release this afternoon: ‘Subsequent 12 months I am anticipating my household priorities to alter so I must release time for them.
‘I really like my staff at ITV and can miss them and the joys of stay telly however it’s an at all times on, 24 hours a day, seven days per week dedication and I will not have the ability to do each.’
Frizell’s time in control of This Morning has included controversy over the departure of Philip Schofield final 12 months, adopted later by that of co-host Holly Willoughby.
An ITV supply mentioned: ‘Martin has been speaking about this for some time.
‘He and Emma Gormley, the top of daytime have been recurrently discussing when is perhaps the time he decides to depart This Morning.
‘It has been ten years and the previous couple of have been very troublesome what with Holly and Phil going and the autumn out from that and now it’s time.
‘Martin micro manages all the things on This Morning, from the colors to the lighting to the scripts, he’s over each little bit of element and he can’t do this with Fiona’s situation deteriorating. It is vitally unhappy.’
Frizell himself added in at the moment’s assertion: ‘It has been a privilege to guide really nice presenters and producers, between us we have turned out greater than six thousand hours of stay topical telly, that is round 20,000 objects and the gongs are at all times good.’
He described his delight in campaigns protecting topics corresponding to suicide, menopause, testicular most cancers, including: ‘This juggernaut is the hardest take a look at for any broadcast journalist.’
Kevin Lygo, ITV’s managing director for media and leisure, paid tribute to him, saying: ‘This Morning is an iconic present in ITV’s schedule, and heading the staff for a decade, producing greater than ten hours of authentic, topical, stay tv each week is an incredible achievement.
‘As a programme and a model, Martin has made certain the present continues to be a family title, an award-winning staple of the schedule with a rising profitable presence in digital and social.
‘On behalf of the ITV Community, we thank Martin and want him the perfect for his future ventures.’
And Emma Gormley, managing director for ITV Studios Daytime, added: ‘Martin has introduced a lot success to This Morning during the last decade which has seen an evolving panorama of adjusting and diversifying viewing habits.
‘Below Martin, This Morning is now one of many nation’s most engaged codecs, on each ITV and social platforms, hitting an incredible 1billion views throughout this 12 months alone; an unimaginable legacy.
‘I’m happy with the brilliance and power that he has dropped at his position as custodian of this iconic model.
‘Martin’s decade-long contribution to the longevity and good well being of our flagship present has been outstanding, and he leaves it in a spot the place it could proceed to thrive into the following decade and past.’
In an e-mail to ITV employees, Frizell mentioned: ‘Hey mates, hopefully you haven’t heard on the grapevine and perhaps you weren’t in planning at the moment so this could possibly be a shock for you – however I’m leaving.
‘This will probably be my final Christmas at a programme that I’ve liked engaged on and the most effective bit was working with you.
‘As you most likely know, I’ve stuff occurring in my private life which fairly rightly takes up a while and sadly a present like This Morning is a seven day at all times on job – which I really like however I do must release even only a few hours for others.
‘I plan to hold on working and I’ll let you already know extra later however I will probably be round for some time but, I’ve been in talks with Kevin and Emma and so they have requested me to remain till spring so it’s enterprise as common for now and fortunately extra of my actually enjoyable humour, which I do know you respect!’
ITV mentioned the outgoing editor’s successor could be introduced ‘in the end’.
