Cat Deeley was comforted by Ben Shephard as she struggled to hold back tears on Wednesday’s episode of This Morning (23 October). The presenter, who rose to fame in the Nineties and Noughties for presenting SMTV Live alongside Ant and Dec, was given a caterpillar cake with her face on it by her co-host Shephard to celebrate her 48th birthday. Deeley was left emotional after Shephard revealed that renowned British poet Pam Ayres had composed a personalised poem to celebrate the occasion.
She explained that she had been woken up at 5:30am to be presented with birthday cards by her family. “I got up at 5.30, there were cards made,” she said on the show.
“There was one where we were all swimming underwater and they’d made it. It said, ‘take a deep breath, mum, you’re getting old’. They thought it was the funniest thing on the planet.
” After confirming her age, Shephard joked “You don’t look a day over 47! You look amazing. I think any opportunity to celebrate birthdays is very important.” He then went on to reveal the surprise gift the show had organised for the host.
Ayres read the poem to Deeley later in the programme saying, “We mustn’t forget people’s birthdays - the one day in all of the year for making somebody feel special, and those far away to feel dear.” She continued, “To get out of bed in the morning to see all the cards on the mat, from all of the folk who remembered, well that’s nice - well you can ask Cat! “No we mustn’t forg.