3amCelebrity NewsBen ShephardAs he prepares to return to the This Morning sofa alongside Cat Deeley following the summer break, Ben Shephard has reflected on a brutal setback from the early days of his television career08:11, 07 Sep 2026Ben Shephard has shared details of a major setback at the start of his television career. The 51-year-old is a familiar face on our screens, appearing on shows including This Morning, Tipping Point and The Summit. However, there was a time when a television boss closed the door on him.‌The presenter recalled being told he wasn’t "very good” at a job he landed on Channel 4 before being sacked. Ben joined The Bigger Breakfast — a youth-aimed spin-off of The Big Breakfast that aired during school holidays between 1997 and 2000.‌However, just as he was settling in, he was brutally given the boot. Sharing what a television boss said to him, he told The Times: "An exec at Channel 4 basically turned around and said, 'I don't think you're very good at this'.‌"'I don't think you'll ever be very good at this. I'm afraid we're going to have to let you go'. I was probably in my early twenties," he continued.Despite the knock back, Ben continued working in television and went on to present shows including The Xtra Factor and Sky’s Goals on Sunday.‌Fast forward to today and he is now a regular presence on television screens. He began fronting This Morning alongside Cat Deeley in 2024, having previously spent 10 years at Good Morning Britain.Reflecting on how the industry has changed since he first started, he shared how decisions were once made with little explanation. While he acknowledged television can still be “really, really tough”, he said he hopes it is now a more inclusive and collaborative environment.He added that he would like to remain on This Morning for many years to come. Presenting, however, was not always Ben's long-term ambition, with the father-of-two previously admitting that he had hoped to become an actor.‌Speaking to The Big Issue earlier this year, he said: "I fell into telly. I got a job working for a TV company as a runner. They suggested I try presenting, so I was very lucky."Sharing advice his long-term wife Annie has given him, he continued: "My wife always says, there’s things you do brilliantly, Ben, and the things you don’t do brilliantly, you find people brilliant at them and work with them. So I found myself surrounded by people much brighter than me who were advocating for me. They gave me the advice and courage I needed."Article continues belowHe added: "Acting was my big ambition as a teenager in Essex. At least now I get to interview actors, which is a real privilege."This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV and ITVX.Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌ITVThe TimesChannel 4Miriam MargolyesCat DeeleyMelanie SykesAndi PetersBen ShephardDermot O'LearyGood Morning BritainThe Xtra FactorThis MorningX FactorTalent shows