Ranvir and Christine get used to some sofa chat ahead of their summer stint presenting ITV’s hit morning show
Lorraine
As the doyenne of daytime TV, Lorraine Kelly is as famous for her warm smile and down-to-earth manner as she is for her disarming “iron hand in a velvet glove” interview technique. After four decades honing her skills, the 62-year-old presenter doesn’t pull any punches with guests who range from Hollywood stars to politicians.
However, when HELLO! tries to catch up with her for an exclusive interview and photoshoot ahead of her summer break, when she’ll hand the Lorraine show baton to presenters Ranvir Singh and Christine Lampard, a most unwelcome guest – Covid-19 – has KO’d the morning TV legend.
“We were so looking forward to seeing her,” says Ranvir as she and Christine prepare to take turns in the hot seat in her absence.
“Do we have a cushion with her face on that we can include in the shoot?” she adds with a smile.
Lorraine’s shoes are certainly big to fill, but with their wit, banter and smart line of questioning, this double act is more than capable of rising to the challenge.
TELEVISION ROYALTY
“She’s a national treasure, the queen of TV,” says 44-year-old Good Morning Britain presenter Ranvir, who Lorraine took under her wing when Ranvir joined Daybreak in 2012.
“After we first met we spent two years working together and she was incredibly kind. I still have the little leather booties she gave my baby boy [Tushaan, now ten]. So to be presenting her show now is the stuff of dreams.
“The first time was when I was voted off Strictly Come Dancing in the semi-finals,” adds Ranvir, who was partnered with professional Giovanni Pernice in the 2020 series.
“The best thing about being knocked out was that I got to do something even more exciting – standing in for Lorraine.”