Craig Doyle: who is This Morning guest host with Alison Hammond, is he married to wife Doon, age - children

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is set to make an appearance on ITV's This Morning following the release of ONS figures. Today's episode of the show will once again be hosted by Alison Hammond and Craig Doyle.

Following the departure of Phillip Schofield and the absence of Holly Willoughby from This Morning, viewers of the show have voiced their discontentment with Alison Hammond and interim host Dermot O'Leary, who have been stepping into their roles.

But on Wednesday's show (May 24), O’Leary took the day off to celebrate his 50th birthday, so Hammond was joined by BT Sport presenter Craig Doyle as he filled in on the sofa. Doyle has been a regular relief presenter on the ITV daytime series since 2022.

The 52-year-old Irish presenter left a lasting impression on fans, garnering numerous positive comments on social media throughout and after the show. However, he did have one amusing mishap during the live broadcast.

As the show returned from break, the camera focused on Hammond, and Doyle, caught off guard, appeared startled as he noticed the lens. Although he attempted to speak, he couldn't contain his laughter, expressing with a touch of awkwardness, "I forgot we were on telly! We were all just chatting and then the music started!"

But the moment only seemed to enhance viewers' already positive perception of the Rugby Union presenter, who managed to charm many fans of This Morning. Here is everything you need to know about him.

Who is Craig Doyle?

A familiar face to British viewers, having worked for broadcasters like the BBC, ITV, and more recently BT Sport, in his native Ireland, Doyle is widely known as the host of popular chat show Tonight with Craig Doyle on RTÉ One, as well as Craig Doyle Live on RTÉ Two.

He began his career in broadcasting following graduation, joining BBC Radio Suffolk in Ipswich. Soon after, he caught the attention of ITV and was handpicked to present the popular children's show Disney Club in 1995, an opportunity which arose after he had a chance encounter with a producer during a visit to Alton Towers.

Relocating to London, Doyle took on a range of presenting roles, including Tomorrow's World, Fasten Your Seatbelt and Innovation Nation, as well as six years at the helm hosting BBC One's Holiday. He continued his work in radio too, with a weekly live music show on London's Capital Radio.

From 2004, Doyle played a crucial role as part of the BBC Sport team, anchoring coverage of international rugby events such as the Six Nations Championship, as well as triathlon competitions. In February 2008, Doyle made the move to ITV Sport as a replacement for Jim Rosenthal hosting the UEFA Champions League highlights.

Since mid-2013, Doyle has been actively involved with BT Sport, where he currently works as a presenter for their Rugby Union coverage. In addition to his rugby commitments, he also served as a presenter for BT Sport's MotoGP coverage from 2015 to 2018.

As of November 2021, Doyle has been a regular presence on This Morning, where he began by primarily hosting the competitions segment. His appearances expanded in May 2022, when he served as a guest presenter on two occasions. His contributions were well-received, leading him to become a regular relief presenter on the show.

When Doyle stepped in as a guest host in August 2022, he described being on This Morning as a “complete roller coaster". Speaking about the experience on the ITV daytime show, he said: “It’s ever changing, isn’t it? You bounce around subject matter, emotional levels, from joy to sadness to fun to serious. There’s no show like it. It’s a complete roller coaster of a thing.”

In January 2002, Doyle tied the knot with his longtime girlfriend Doon. They have four children and reside in County Wicklow, with an additional home in Kew, West London.