2 weeks Ago By Kelly Smith
For decades, Susanna Reid has been a staple of British morning television, first presenting BBC Breakfast alongside Bill Turnbull and Charlie Stayt , before making the switch to ITV to co-host with the likes of Ben Shephard , Piers Morgan , Richard Madeley, and Ed Balls. However, her journey to becoming a household name began in 1996, when she landed her first on-screen role with BBC News 24 by chance. The regular presenter failed to show up one evening, and Susanna, who was three months pregnant with her first child at the time, stepped in to fill the hour-long slot.
Her impressive performance as a stand-in led to her securing her dream job. Before joining ITV in 2014, where she remains a fan favourite, Susanna hosted various shows, including Sunday Morning Live on BBC One from 2010 to 2011. She also showcased her dancing skills on the 11th series of Strictly Come Dancing in 2013, finishing as a runner-up alongside her partner Kevin Clifton.
Susanna Reid and journalist Dominic Cotton announced they were calling time on their 16-year partnership shortly after her Strictly stint. The newsreader has always maintained that the BBC show had nothing to do with their split but did admit it was a "parallel universe of sequins and stardust." She told the Mirror: "Over 16 years, you're going to change a bit, both of you.
Would it have happened anyway? I don't know. I don't analyse it." Despite never tying the knot, the couple continued to co-parent their three sons, Sam, 23, Finn, 21, and Jack, 20, sharing the same household for a period after parting ways.
In an interview with The Sun's Fabulous magazine, she shared: "We still get on so well. Dom is still such a hands-on dad, and we really co-parent. "So, we live separately but together and happily in the same house.
I'm not saying everybody can do it and I definitely think people are surprised that we can do it this way." During 2014, as Susanna was navigating her separation from Dominic and discussing a move to ITV to lead their new programme Good Morning Britain following the cancellation of DayBreak, she was instructed to "take time off" from her presenting duties at BBC Breakfast. Susanna's hiatus from the morning show raised eyebrows, with an insider telling The Mirror that there were concerns for her wellbeing during her romance breakdown.
A source claimed back then: "Everyone here is really worried about Susanna in what is clearly a very testing time for her. The BBC Breakfast couch is a tough job, and you have to be in the right frame of mind." After her separation from Dominic, the mother-of-three remained single for several years.
It wasn't until four years later that the television personality began dating Steve Parish, chairman of Crystal Palace. The couple didn't hide their blossoming relationship, often spotted getting cosy while supporting the Premier League club. However, their romance was short-lived, and a source claimed to The Sun: "It's very sad, but they just couldn't make it work.
"They both work extremely hard, and there wasn't enough time for romance." Susanna and Steve, who were reportedly introduced by her then co-anchor Piers Morgan , also shared a passion for Crystal Palace and enjoyed a romantic getaway to Paris in 2018. Susanna has always been open about her ongoing health issue, which flared up during a live broadcast of Good Morning Britain.
The 54-year-old presenter has acknowledged her struggle with tinnitus, a condition that produces persistent ringing or buzzing noises in one's head or ears. In 2015, Susanna revealed her ordeal with the condition, having endured the constant noise for around ten years before the distress of "never hearing silence again" led her to seek help from specialists. Fast forward to 2024, Jamie Laing featured on GMB to promote awareness of tinnitus, prompting producers to simulate the sound on air, giving viewers a real sense of what sufferers experience.
As the studio filled with a peculiar sound, Susanna remarked: "Mine I feel is quite low-level, and I was saying earlier to the viewers, my advice is to tune out of it." She then reflected on her own experience after hearing the noise, saying: "It's really interesting, the ringing sound we played just now, that triggered it now in my ears. Now I can hear it again because you have to make a conscious effort to tune it out, so actually reminding myself of it.
." Susanna, known for her discretion regarding her personal life, appears to be single at present and has consistently expressed she has no urgency to tie the knot. Despite her long-term relationship with Dominic, spanning nearly two decades, Susanna has never sought marriage, citing "personal choice" during discussions on GMB.
In 2021, she clarified her stance, stating: "It was a personal choice. It's a bit of an old-fashioned idea that children are 'illegitimate' if you're not married. Children are legitimate, whether you're married or not.
" She also shared with The Sun: "I've never wanted [marriage]. I've never fantasised about the big day. It was never my ambition to be married.
I'm very, very happy at the moment, but I don't want to be married." The news reporter concluded with a firm belief: "No, no, no, I think the focus should be on the relationship." Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV1, from 6am.
.
