Kym Marsh set to go head-to-head with ITV’s Lorraine to present new BBC show

Kym Marsh is set to go up against Lorraine Kelly’s eponymous show as she’s teaming up with Gethin Jones to front a new breakfast show on BBC. 

The former Coronation Street actress, 44, who hosted current affairs programme Your Money and Your Life on the network over the summer, and The One show star, 42, will present Morning Live from October.

The daytime series aims to be ‘a lively and entertaining mix of topical content and expert advice’ and will air from 9:15 until 10:00 on weekdays, going directly against broadcaster Lorraine’s ITV hit.

It is commissioned to run for 40 episodes, taking viewers up to Christmas, with a view to extending into 2021.

The show is currently commissioned to run for 40 episodes to take fans up to Christmas, with hopes of bosses extending it into the next year if successful.  

On her new role, Kym, who quit Corrie in 2019 following a 13-year run, told The Mirror: ‘I’ve always enjoyed morning TV, it’s a great way to start the day. 

‘I love nothing more than a good catch up, although this will be on a slightly different scale, more of a daily conversation with our viewers.’

Welsh broadcaster Gethin added: ‘A presenting role on a morning show like this is a bit of a dream for me. What I’m most excited about is the opportunity to delve in to some of the biggest issues at the heart of our everyday lives.’

Morning Live was created by BBC’s Head of Daytime and Early Peak, Carla-Maria Lawson and the team who produce The One Show. 

Last year, Kym took a big leap by leaving her role as Michelle Connor on the ITV soap behind.

At the time, the media personality revealed it was an ‘incredibly difficult decision’ to bow out of the hit series, but admitted she felt it was the right time for her to seek out other roles.

She told The Sun: ‘When I was lucky enough to be offered four episodes I could never in my wildest dreams have thought I’d be here 13 years later.

‘It’s been an incredibly difficult decision but it feels like the right time for me to explore some other roles. 

The brunette found fame in the pop group Hear’Say which she joined after taking part in the TV series Popstars in 2001. 

She made her on screen acting debut four years later in an episode of Doctors before joining Coronation Street in 2006.

During her time on the show, the musician has faced some heavy plots, including suffering a stillbirth, being drugged and kidnapped by her ex-partner Will Chatterton, and being involved in a car crash with her teenage son Ali.