This Morning is set to welcome a new face to its on-screen roster this week, with Steve Jones confirmed to be teaming up with Josie Gibson on Wednesday.
It will be the former T4 presenter’s first time at the helm of the ITV daytime show, with reports claiming he could join the team on a more permanent basis as bosses continue to make changes in the wake of Phillip Schofield’s exit earlier this year.
Ahead of his appearance on This Morning, here’s the lowdown on Steve…
Who is Steve Jones?
Steve Jones is a 46-year-old TV presenter and author from Tylorstown in Wales.
He got his start in the industry after entering the Big Breakfast’s Find Me A Weatherman competition. Despite not winning, he caught the eye of TV execs all the same, and went on to host The Pop Factory Awards and 99 Things To Do Before You Die, before joining Channel 4′s weekend strand of teen programming T4 in 2003.
Steve was one of T4′s longest-serving presenters, hosting until 2010, and worked alongside the likes of June Sarpong, Vernon Kay, Miquita Oliver, Rick Edwards, Alexa Chung, Alex Zane and Jameela Jamil.
What other TV shows has Steve Jones presented?
Steve made his primetime presenting debut on celebrity dance competition series Let’s Dance For Comic Relief in 2009, originally hosting alongside Claudia Winkleman.
He was subsequently paired up with his ex-girlfriend and The One Show host Alex Jones for three further series.
In 2011, he was recruited by Simon Cowell to front the US version of The X Factor. He was replaced for the second series by Mario Lopez and Khloe Kardashian amid one of many shake-ups on the show.
From there, Steve went on to host one-off ITV special A Night With Beyoncé and the BBC Three reality competition series Hair.
In recent times, Steve has worked most frequently with Channel 4, fronting shows including Weekend Kitchen, Sex Box and Perfect House, Secret Location for the network.
He continues to present Channel 4′s coverage of Formula 1, being the lead presenter since 2016. He also hosts the On The Marbles F1 Podcast with Mark Webber and David Coulthard.
What films has Steve Jones been in?
Steve made a memorable appearance in 2008 film Angus, Thongs And Perfect Snogging, where he played a builder called Jem.
Steve has also made cameo appearances in 2010′s It’s A Wonderful Afterlife and 2011′s Chalet Girl.
Has Steve Jones written a book?
Steve is a published author, having released his first fiction book called Call Time in May 2023.
An official synopsis of the book reads: “Bob Bloomfield is, in the words of his best friend’s wife, a ‘selfish, arrogant arsehole’, who hasn’t spent a great deal of time making friends in his 49 years on earth. But what if he could change? What if Bob could stop the very thing that has made him the man he is, the death of his younger brother, Tom in 1986. If he could save Tom, could he save himself?”
Steve has previously spoken of how he was inspired to write the book by the death of his best friend Chris, who died when they were on a bike ride together as teenagers.
Is Steve Jones married?
Steve is married to American food photographer, writer and blogger Phylicia Jackson-Jones.
The couple are reported to having first met when Steve was in the US working on The X Factor, before tying the knot in 2014.
Prior to marrying Phylicia, Steve had been in a number of high-profile relationships, having been linked to Fearne Cotton, Hayden Panettiere and Pamela Anderson.
He also dated The One Show host Alex Jones in the late 1990s, but they split in 2002 when they were both starting to get their breaks in TV.
Alex recently revealed the reason for their break-up during an appearance on Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett’s Dish podcast. She recalled how she was working on Channel 4’s now-defunct Rise show when bosses called to ask if she could interview Angelina Jolie.
“[Steve] picked up the landline and said ‘Al’s not here. She’s not feeling well, she’s had to go back to Cardiff’. I was in Topshop,” she claimed. “So he did the interview.”
What is going on with This Morning at the moment?
The show found itself hitting headlines back in May, as reports of a feud between Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby started a domino effect of events.
In the space of just a few weeks, the programme was thrown into turmoil when Phil sensationally left after 21 years and later confirmed he’d lied to bosses about having an affair with a younger male colleague.
After taking a break from the show, Holly returned in June, co-hosting with a number of presenters from the show’s on-air team, including Craig Doyle, Josie Gibson and Dermot O’Leary.
With Holly now on her scheduled summer break, the show is currently being hosted by other members of the team.
Recent reports have suggested bosses have chosen not to replace Phillip permanently, with Holly instead continuing to host alongside rotating members of the This Morning family.
The Sun claimed she will be seen alongside Alison Hammond when she returns to screens on Monday 4 September, after which she’ll be joined on the sofa by Craig Doyle.
It has also been suggested by the Daily Mail that Steve could become part of the regular roster of co-hosts for Holly should his stint at the helm of Wednesday’s show go well.
This Morning airs weekdays at 10am on ITV1.