Joel Dommett presenting Lorraine gets a mixed reception from fans

Watch Joel Dommett present Lorraine for the first time

What did you miss?

Joel Dommett covered for Lorraine Kelly on her ITV talkshow on Thursday.

Following in the footsteps of Christine Lampard and Ranvir Singh, who often fill in for the Scottish star, Dommett's presentation skills left a lot to be desired according to some corners of the Lorraine fanbase.

Joined by the king of daytime TV, Andi Peters, during his self-introduction, the newcomer told those watching at home: "Good morning, your television has not malfunctioned. I am stepping in for Lorraine for a couple of days – it feels very comfy."

Amusing himself, Peters announced his presence by shouting "TAKE IT OFF! TAKE IT OFF!" in reference to Dommett's job on both The Masked Singer and The Masked Dancer. No, it wasn't Lorraine with a mask on.

What, how and why?

Overseeing the programme for the first time in his career, which includes a stint in the I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! jungle eight years ago, Dommett was reminded about one of his previous appearances on Lorraine.

For a segment, Peters had dialled his number with a question to answer. Not being the biggest of morning people, though, a shirtless and cloudy-eyed Dommett picked up, understandably unprepared.

During Thursday's show, Dommett was dared to do the same to an unsuspecting celebrity from his phonebook which turned out to be Love Island narrator Iain Stirling.

Meanwhile, the replacement presenter was also granted the "approval of the boss" in a sweet video sent in by Lorraine herself.

"Hiya Joel! I want to just say thank you so much for doing the show," she said. "You're gonna be amazing, you'll have such a good time, I've got the best team ever. And, obviously use my dressing room, you can borrow anything you want; shoes, earrings, makeup, whatever you like. Just don't leave it in a mess, because I know what you're like!"

Reacting to her joke, Dommett told Peters he hadn't borrowed anything from her dressing room, but he did find it "so strange" to be surrounded by pictures of her children while preparing to go on air.

In an interview with The Mirror, comedian Dommett confirmed he would be the face of Lorraine for two days this week including Friday. His wife Hannah and mum Penny are set to run a piece on gardening.

"I love being a guest and I'm so excited to be temporarily filling her wonderful shoes," he shared in a statement. "It's the comfiest seat on telly by far so I can't wait to sit on it for a full hour. Tune in for some wholesome morning niceness."

Meanwhile, Lorraine commented: "This is a first for Joel and I know he'll do a wonderful job. He's one of the best in the business and I couldn't be more pleased to be handing him the reins for a couple of days."

What did Lorraine fans think of Joel Dommett's presenting?

Turning our attention to social media, Lorraine viewers posting on X were incredibly mixed in their thoughts on Dommett's debut.

"Thought Joel was brilliant…. He actually let the guests speak rather than interrupting…. Let's hope he stands in more often," suggested one of them.

"Ok didn't expect to see Joel Dommett presenting #Lorraine today but good luck to him," added another positive person, while a third shared: "Joel has my 'someone's talking to me at the bus stop and I need to be polite' vibe lol."

Lorraine airs weekdays on ITV1 from 9am.

Read more:

• Lorraine Kelly shares Masked Singer backstage secrets

• Masked Dancer host Joel Dommett says he cries after shows because of self doubt

• Lorraine Kelly vows to 'do a David Attenborough' and never retire