The decision to replace
GMTV with
Daybreak followed the full takeover of
GMTV by
ITV.
Daybreak and
Lorraine made up the weekday output of
ITV Breakfast. At weekends, children's programming filled this slot. An advertising campaign, promoting the new franchise, started on 23 August, with short
break-bumpers in between the start and end of an advertisement break, broadcast during the evening schedule of
ITV.
Pre-launch Chiles and Bleakley presented
The One Show on
BBC One together for nearly three years before leaving to join ITV.
First edition The first edition of
Daybreak was broadcast on 6 September 2010 with ex-hosts Chiles and Bleakley introducing viewers to the new set and admiring the view from the window. It included an interview with
Tony Blair and a lead story by
John Stapleton on the collapse of the
Farepak Christmas savings club in 2006. Views of regional locations around the United Kingdom were broadcast as well as a tour of the studio. The press offered a mixed reception to the first edition.
Transition from ITV Breakfast to ITV Studios In March 2011, ITV announced that it was incorporating
Daybreak into its
ITV News operation as part of a management restructure. In July of that year, it was announced that production of the slot, along with that of sister programme
Lorraine, would be taken over by
ITV Studios. In August,
This Morning executive Karl Newton was being charged with the transition to ITV Studios and was revamping the slot to give it 'one last throw of the dice' to boost its ratings. On 2 September, ITV announced that former BBC Breakfast Chief, David Kermode (formerly editor of
5 News) was to take over as editor of the programme from 1 December, heralding a major revamp to the presenting team and the format. On 6 September,
Daybreak celebrated its first anniversary on air. Two days later, Paul Connolly (the deputy editor) had departed from
Daybreak.
Relaunch On 12 December 2011, it was reported that
Daybreak would target 'hassled mums' as part of its refreshed focus and format changes, and a new presenting team were expected to be introduced in April 2012; however, these plans were delayed. On 26 April, it was reported that ITV was to move
Daybreak to the studio currently used by sister programme
Lorraine. On 19 November 2011, it was reported that original presenters
Adrian Chiles and
Christine Bleakley had been axed. Chiles confirmed that they were to depart from
Daybreak in the New Year; however, they left on 5 December, stating that 'we were assured we could go with our dignity intact'.
Dan Lobb and
Kate Garraway took over on an interim basis, until new presenters were announced. On 8 December,
ITV chief executive Adam Crozier defended the decision of hiring Chiles and Bleakley, saying it was necessary to 'take a risk'. On 4 May 2012,
Aled Jones and
Lorraine Kelly were confirmed by ITV as the new permanent presenters. Jones said 'I am thoroughly looking forward to sharing the sofa every morning with such a consummate professional as Lorraine Kelly.' On 28 May,
Ranvir Singh announced she was leaving
BBC North West Tonight to join
Daybreak, where she would present the first hour of the slot. On 11 June,
5 News presenter
Matt Barbet was confirmed as Singh's co-presenter. On 28 August, it was confirmed Singh would become the newsreader following the first hour of
Daybreak, and that
BBC Weather presenter
Laura Tobin was joining the slot. Garraway would present
Daybreak on Fridays and cover for full-time host
Lorraine Kelly in a new two-year contract. On 28 August, the new
Daybreak logo was unveiled. The revamped format was launched on 3 September; this was greeted with a mixed reaction from viewers on social media, with some newspapers reporting that viewers reacted negatively to the 'old fashioned' garish set. However, some viewers liked the change and praised the step back to the original format of GMTV which the core audience had asked to return. Despite the changes to the ailing format, the first edition of the new-look
Daybreak drew only 600,000 viewers. Throughout September, the programme averaged around 700,000 viewers, as viewers begun to warm to the original GMTV-style format and new presenters. In October, ratings continued to average at 700,000 viewers, occasionally peaking at 800,000 viewers. On 15 February 2014, Kelly announced she was to leave
Daybreak later in the year. She had signed a new contract to now present
Lorraine each Monday to Friday. On 4 April (three weeks before the final edition of
Daybreak), Barbet co-presented for the final time, which made him the fourth presenter to leave after Chiles, Bleakley and Lobb. On 10 April, Kelly presented her final
Daybreak before her Easter break, to concentrate on
Lorraine, as part of a new contract she was offered. On 25 April,
Daybreak officially came to an end, hosted by Jones and Garraway. == Presenters ==