Garraway: 'No pecking order at GMTV'

Kate Garraway has denied claims that she was desperate to secure the top job on GMTV following the departure of Fiona Phillips.

Garraway was widely tipped to become the breakfast programme's main anchor after Phillips announced her decision to quit last year. However, it was later confirmed that she would share presenting duties with newcomer Emma Crosby.

Speaking about Phillips in an interview with the Daily Mail, Garraway explained: "I mean, I think she'd been on the sofa for 16 years or something, and yes, obviously I would like to have that sort of respect in the business, but the truth is that we were doing the same job anyway - just at different hours of the week.

"And I honestly don't believe that within GMTV there was the same idea of a pecking order. It wasn't as if people there would say that Mondays are more important than Thursdays, you know. I don't think that when Fiona went anyone on the programme thought: 'Her job is up for grabs'."

Dismissing rumours of a rivalry with Crosby, she added: "I do the start of the week. She does the end. There is no great tussle there."

Garraway also claimed that she is proud of the press speculation which has surrounded the programme in recent months.

"It says a lot about how people regard GMTV, to be honest," she said. "I know there are people who hate it, but so many really love it.

"It inspires strong reactions. I mean, there would never have been this fuss over the presenters of BBC Breakfast. Who even knows who presents on what day there?"