Josie Gibson reached out to a staggering 72 people over three years in a bid to land a job on TV - until 'This Morning' offered her a role.
Josie Gibson reached out to 72 people over three years in a bid to land a job on TV
The 38-year-old TV presenter shot to fame in 2010 when she won the 11th series of 'Big Brother', but following her reality TV win, it took her a while to land a job on the small screen, until the brunch-time show's bosses offered her a role presenting competitions on the programme.
Josie is now taking part in 'I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!' - and is favourite to win the show.
When asked by campmate Fred Sirieix if she thought her 'Big Brother' win would lead to where she is today, she replied: "Never in a million years, no.
"I wrote a bucket list when I was with my auntie and on that bucket list it said 'be on tv'.
"I auditioned for 'Big Brother', ended up winning it. When I came out I tried and I tried and I tried and I tried for three years.
"I remember all the people I'd reached out to and it was like 72 people over three years ... one day, 'This Morning' gave me a job.
"They give me one day for a couple of minutes, then they give me another day for a couple more minutes, then they give me a day for a couple more minutes ... and then they would give me more and more and more and challenge me and challenge me and challenge me and then one day I got the call, I was on my way to a competition in work and I got the call to host 'This Morning'."
Josie thought the 'This Morning' bosses were "joking" when she was offered the chance to present the programme.
She said: "Everybody was ill ... I honestly thought they were joking."
Asked if she was nervous about co-hosting the live show, she said: "I didn't really have time to be. I had 15 mins to get ready.
"I went straight in, had 15 mins in make-up and then straight to the studio floor. So I didn't have time to be nervous."
Josie stepped into co-host 'This Morning' with Phillip Schofield in November 2021, after Holly Willoughby was struck down with a stomach bug.
Speaking to Phillip on the show at the time, she said: "I couldn't believe it. I thought they had the wrong number, Phil. I said, 'You've phoned Josie.'
"But yeah, how surreal. I've grown up watching the show and now I'm sat alongside you.
"I've been thrown in the deep end, but I've got the best armbands on the planet. That's what I say."
Just two years on, Josie is now a regular 'This Morning' presenter and Phil and Holly have both departed the show.
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