A new host has been announced for the British Soap Awards to replace Phillip Schofield.
Singer and presenter Jane McDonald will take up the role on Saturday. The 60-year-old is best known for Channel 5 series Cruising With Jane and she has also appeared on Loose Women.
Taking to Instagram, Jane said: "I'm so excited to be this year's host for The British Soap Awards!! Everyone knows how much I LOVE my soaps, this year I’ve been honoured to be mentioned in Corrie, EastEnders and Emmerdale so this is just a dream come true. I can’t wait to see all our wonderful soap nominees and celebrate all their hard work with them - roll on the awards, I can’t wait."
Read More: ITV boss asks barrister to carry out This Morning investigation after Phillip Schofield affair
The news comes after former This Morning host Phillip Schofield parted ways with ITV. He resigned after admitting to having an affair with a younger member of staff at the channel. He admitted he had "lied" to his family, colleagues and management about what happened with the man in the past, reports The Mirror.
Phillip described the relationship - which happened when the runner was over 18 - as a "consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague". He apologised for lying to bosses and being unfaithful to his wife.
In a statement, he said: "The first thing I want to say is: I am deeply sorry for having lied to them, and to many others about a relationship that I had with someone working on This Morning. I did have a consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague at This Morning.
"I am painfully conscious that I have lied to my employers at ITV, to my colleagues and friends, to my agents, to the media and therefore the public and most importantly of all to my family. I am so very, very sorry, as I am for having been unfaithful to my wife."
He confirmed he had resigned from ITV and stepped down from hosting the Soap Awards. He said: "I have therefore decided to step down from the British Soap Awards, my last public commitment, and am resigning from ITV with immediate effect expressing my immense gratitude to them for all the amazing opportunities that they have given me. I will reflect on my very bad judgement in both participating in the relationship and then lying about it."
Jane McDonald has now been revealed as host for the awards ceremony, which will take place this weekend and will air on ITV on June 6.
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