Bring back Ben cry viewers as ITV serves up Piers and profanity for breakfast

Morgan, whose US show, Piers Morgan Live, was cancelled last year following plummeting ratings, is co-hosting the ITV breakfast show for a week while Shephard is away.

“Well....that was different. When are you back @benshephard?”, Ms Reid wrote afterwards, while some viewers even started to use the hashtag #bringbackben.

Andrew Stewart wrote: “Piers Morgan presenting Good Morning Britain this week. Well, they’ve gained an extra viewer... for BBC Breakfast.”

Raelene Calderhead wrote: “When is Ben Shephard back on duty? Cannot stand Piers Morgan, he’s arrogant and rude. Get rid asap!”

A user going under the name @furiouspigeon wrote: “I hope Susanna Reid’s back is okay. She’s been carrying @piersmorgan since about 7am.”

Mark Grainger wrote: “Piers Morgan on Good Morning Britain, instantly rendering the show’s title ironic and oxymoronic.”

Nathan O’Brien wrote: “I would rather get up and watch The Human Centipede 1 + 2 before waking up to @piersmorgan on @GMB all of this week!”

Others were more positive.

Dave Hayes wrote: “@susannareid100 you probably don’t want to hear this but you and @piersmorgan were great this morning... Like a young Richard and Judy”.

A user going under the name @toolbob wrote “piersmorgan Fantastic on GMB this morning”

And Brad Fox added: “Piers Morgan great debut but you have a radio face just saying.”

Morgan said of his debut - which featured French daredevil climber Alain Robert using the f-word, and Amanda Holden discussing her nipples: “It’s all kicking off. Jeez. @gmb.”

Ms Reid also had to apologise to viewers after one of the guests swore live on air.

She and Morgan were interviewing French daredevil climber Alain Robert, who is known as “the French Spiderman”, on the show when he dropped the f-word.

Robert, who climbs skyscrapers with his bare hands and without using a safety net, left Reid stunned when, speaking via a video-link from Dubai, he said that his ascents make him feel “feel that I am f***** alive”.

After Morgan laughed, Ms Reid replied: “OK ... slightly more frank language at this time in the morning than we’re normally used to on Good Morning Britain so apologies for that.”