Who is Ranvir Singh, the first presenter to replace Piers Morgan at Good Morning Britain?

Presenter stepped in when Morgan left the show after row over Meghan Markle interview

Ranvir Singh co-hosted Good Morning Britain' on Wednesday after the departure of Piers Morgan

Good Morning Britain's Ranvir Singh was the first presenter to fill the seat recently vacated by Piers Morgan.

She has been with the show since 2014 and is its political editor and deputy presenter.

Aside from her work at GMB, she is best known for reaching the finals of the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing programme in 2020 with her dance partner Giovanni Pernice. Her Twitter biography states simply: "Define your own success."

Morgan would usually have co-hosted the show with Susanna Reid, but left the programme after storming off Tuesday's show amid a row with weatherman Alex Beresford over his comments about Meghan Markle's Oprah Winfrey interview.

A statement released by ITV on Tuesday said: "Following discussions with ITV, Piers Morgan has decided now is the time to leave Good Morning Britain.

"ITV has accepted this decision and has nothing further to add."

GMB acknowledged Morgan's absence, with Reid saying the programme would be "very different" without him, but said "the show goes on".

Opening Wednesday’s broadcast, Reid said: “Piers and I have disagreed on many things and that dynamic was one of the things viewers loved about the programme.

“He is without doubt an outspoken, challenging, opinionated, disruptive broadcaster. He has many critics and he has many fans. You will know that I disagreed with him about Meghan’s interview."

Singh responded "well said" after Reid said there were "many voices" on GMB.

It has not yet been revealed who the permanent replacement for Morgan will be. As well as Singh, other presenters connected to the show include Ben Shephard, Alex Beresford, Adil Ray and Richard Madeley.

Ranvir Singh and Giovanni Pernice compete in Strictly Come Dancing. Reuters

During the show, Singh spoke about a poll suggesting a lack of interest from younger people in the royal family.

She said: "The Queen's popularity does not actually filter down now to anybody else in the family.

"That, for the future of the monarchy, is an extremely huge problem is it not?

"I think this interview has certainly lifted the lid on the fact we are paying millions of pounds to essentially a facade."

She also interviewed Princess Diana’s former butler Paul Burrell.

Singh is from Preston, Lancashire and is Sikh. She was educated at Kirkham Grammar School and the University of Lancaster.

She started her career at BBC Radio Lancashire in 2002, presented BBC North West Tonight from 2005 before switching to ITV in 2012 after returning from maternity leave.

Her former teacher at Kirkham, Adrian Long,  wrote in the school's newsletter that Singh was one of the most prominent alumni and had left Strictly Come Dancing "bathed in the love and respect of the nation".

He said millions of viewers had “warmed to her engaging, modest and down-to-earth personality as she uncovered hitherto undiscovered talents”.

He described her as “not a typically privately educated child” and said she was startled by the prosperous homes and lifestyles of some fellow pupils. But he said she was determined to justify the faith shown in her with the awarding of a scholarship.

Singh replied to the ringing endorsement: “Blimey. Thanks Mr Long.”