‘Thank God those days are behind me!’ Richard Madeley details struggles from early career

Richard Madeley, 65, has revealed he is thankful to have come to a point in his career where he only has to take on projects he really wants to do. He admitted that during his early days as a journalist, almost 50 years ago, he felt like he needed to accept jobs he wasn’t so keen on.

The Good Morning Britain presenter confessed in an exclusive interview with Express.co.uk: “I have got to the point in my career that I only do things that I know I am going to enjoy.  

“In earlier times in our careers, we find ourselves saying yes to things we don’t really want to do.  

“But, when you get to my age you don’t have to do those things anymore, thank God those days are behind me.”

Richard joined the Good Morning Britain team in 2017 as a relief presenter for Piers Morgan.

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Following Piers’ infamous walk-off last year, Richard has become one of the main hosts steering the show on a rotational basis.

He typically appears alongside Susanna Reid on Mondays to Wednesdays and says the gig is “right up his alley”.

Richard explained as he reminisced about his lengthy career: “Good Morning Britain I really enjoy, it’s right up my alley.  

“I’m a journalist by training, I started in newspapers 50 years ago, so I’ve been a hack for five decades now.  

“I’m really pleased they asked me.”

However, when asked whether he would take on the role on a full-time basis, Richard categorically denied that he is the “new or next Piers Morgan”.

He declared: “I am not, I repeat NOT the new or next Piers Morgan. I am me, I’m doing it my way.

“It’s not my full-time job, I’m there two to three weeks out of four, usually three days of a week. 

“I don’t do it to the extent Piers did when he was on. I do it quite enough for me. I’m sort of semi-regular and that suits me down to the ground.”

Nevertheless, he revealed that he “loves Piers” and considers him a “mate”.

He explained: “I’ve known Piers for well over 30 years. We went to the same journalism college together, not at the same time because I’m a bit older than him.

“I got to know him when he was doing the showbiz column for The Sun and we were just starting This Morning.

“I wouldn’t say we are kindred spirits, but we share quite a lot of values underneath it all. But yeah, he’s a mate and I’m sure he’s going to do incredibly well in his next job, everyone’s going to be watching, he’s a real force of nature.”

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays at 6am on ITV.