Jane McDonald will replace Phillip Schofield as the host of the British Soap Awards this weekend, it has been announced.
The former This Morning presenter stepped down from hosting the ceremony when he quit ITV amid a furore over his extramarital affair with a younger male colleague.
Singer McDonald will take his place on stage at The Lowry in Salford Quays, Greater Manchester on Saturday to honour the best in soap.
Schofield had previously confirmed that he would host the awards when he explosively left This Morning on 20 May.
However, he stepped down from the ceremony, his last public commitment, when he quit ITV.
McDonald, 60, is best known for her TV series Cruising with Jane McDonald, as well as her long stint on Loose Women.
The furore over Schofield had threatened to overshadow the soap awards, as the scandal has dominated the headlines.
On Wednesday, ITV instructed a barrister to carry out an external review of the facts following his departure from This Morning and subsequent press statements, according to a letter from chief executive Carolyn McCall.
Schofield, 61, was dropped by his talent agency YMU after admitting to the "unwise but not illegal" affair.
Source: Press Association
