WAITING GAME
Piers Morgan to get coronavirus test result back today – but Dr Hilary Jones thinks it will be negative
PIERS Morgan will find out if he has coronavirus today, his Good Morning Britain co-host Susanna Reid confirmed.
The 55-year-old presenter explained last night he has been tested for Covid-19 and will not return to screens until he gets the results back.
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The Sun exclusively revealed his replacement would be Ben Shephard and the host opened the show today, telling viewers: "Good morning, as you can see I'm not Piers!"
Susanna took over and updated fans on Piers' condition.
She said: "Piers tweeted this last night if you're confused and you haven't been on Twitter.
"The test results should be back today we send our very best wishes.
"People will ask in the circumstances if there is a symptom should the rest of us be at work, but we have been assured we are fine."
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Susanna, 45, handed over to Dr Hilary Jones to explain why.
He said: "I spoke to Piers yesterday he doesn't have symptoms that are normally associated. It doesn't effect us here in the studio because we're practising strict social distancing.
Ben quipped: "Did he just want a lie-in is that it Hilary?"
And Susanna laughed as she joked: "I think he just wanted to get his car cleaned."
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Piers had tweeted last night tweeted: "UPDATE: On medical advice, and out of an abundance of caution for a mild symptom that arose in past 48hrs, I’ve had a test for COVID-19 and so won’t be working on @GMB until I get the result back, which should be tomorrow."
One concerned follower asked: "But who will look after the country Piers???" Another added: "I hope you’re well Piers. We need you!"
ITV told The Sun Online that Ben would host the show alongside Susanna in his absence.
Piers, a long-time critic of the government's coronavirus strategy, was due to appear on the ITV breakfast show with Susanna today.
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The pair have been continuing to front the show from ITV's West London studios despite the public health crisis knocking many live shows off air.
Piers and Susanna have been sitting at least two metres apart from each other on the usually-crowded Good Morning Britain desk and doing their own make-up for the show.
The daytime hit has been a crucible of confrontation in recent weeks as Piers challenged a string of government ministers over their handling of the coronavirus crisis.
The Sun Online revealed last week that Piers had been the subject of almost 4,000 complaints to TV watchdog Ofcom as he grilled MPs including Helen Whately and Matt Hancock.
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The broadcasting regulator was bombarded with complaints about Piers's tough interviews, which some viewers said amounted to "bullying".
However, Piers was cleared by Ofcom in short order, with the watchdog saying in a statement that it had ruled "that broadcasters are able to hold those making political decisions to account".
It added that the star was "well known for his combative interviewing style" and insisted guests were given "adequate opportunity to put their points across".
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Expressing his delight at being cleared on Good Morning Britain, Piers said: "I'm glad that freedom of speech matters. Journalists doing their jobs matter. Holding them to account matters."
Co-host Susanna was forced to miss two weeks of the programme at the start of lockdown measures being introduced in March after revealing that her son had a cough - though she continued to appear via video link.
Piers has been a regular presenter on GMB since November 2015, following a successful stint as a guest presenter.
He had left his CNN talk show, which was characterised by fiery showdowns with the US gun lobby, the previous year and returned home to London.
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Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid read out 105 NHS and frontline workers who have given their lives in the fight against coronavirus
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