Judging by the state of Twitter whenever Richard Madeley is on Good Morning Britain, you’d almost be fooled into thinking that he isn’t one one the great broadcasting icons of our time.
But these people - Cathy, Lee and Lauren and any and all like them - they are all wrong, because Madeley is the gift that simply cannot stop itself from giving to us, the great and undeserving British public.
Already responsible for a raft of viral gold since subbing in on Good Morning Britain whenever Piers Morgan is away, he’s been at it again on Wednesday morning’s show, slipping effortlessly into a Partridge-esque, Rover 800-style gear when introducing the award-winning actor Hugh Bonneville.
Co-host Susanna Reid began: “From larking around in Notting Hill to Downton Abbey, it’s safe to say Hugh Bonneville is the nation’s favourite character actor.”
Madeley then added: “Not to mention his role in W1A – which was brilliant. I think that along with Curb Your Enthusiasm are the best shows on the box at the moment. Well, Curb may be a little better, actually.”
Reid immediately suggested that Madeley might want to rephrase that, given, y’know, that Bonneville was literally on the programme, saying “Well, perhaps W1A is better, as Hugh is on the show right now…”
But Madeley ploughed on regardless, saying “Oh yes… Hugh is on… Yes, thinking about it, probably W1A is the funniest. Well no, it’s in the same box as Curb.”
Bonneville, on the show to promote Paddington 2, was standing on location at The Shard with Richard Arnold, and overheard the whole thing.
It was also reminiscent of this classic scene from Bridget Jones’ Diary:
Fair play though Richard, for sticking to your guns. And, equally, nothing wrong with saying the best Beatles album was The Best of the Beatles. It is the best Beatles album. Because it has the best Beatles songs on it. That’s just fact.
Can we just sack off Piers and get Madeley in full time please?
(Image: Rex)
