Sian Welby, who first made a name for herself as a weather presenter, has become known for her sunny disposition. Her cheerful, “girl next door” charm has resonated with This Morning bosses, leading to her landing a spot on the ITV show amidst its recent overhaul.
Sitting on the famous sofa and interviewing guests is a dream role for the Nottingham-born star. In an exclusive interview with MailOnline, Sian opened up about how she secured the coveted position after years of hard work.
It hasn’t been an easy journey for 38-year-old Capital UK radio host Sian Welby, who revealed that her biggest competition over the years came from reality stars. She explained that she often had to wait for her moment in the spotlight as reality stars would quickly rise to prominence, sometimes taking opportunities away from her.
Sian shared, “I’ve always wanted to be on This Morning; it was a big mission of mine. In my career, I’ve had reality stars overtake me, and you lose out on opportunities because they’re hot right now, or because they weren’t looking for someone like me with my accent or whatever the reason was. But I had to wait my turn.”
Sian Welby shared that she was determined to do whatever it took to work on This Morning, even telling two female producers that she’d take on any task. “I said, send me to Bognor Regis beach at 2am or get me dressed up as a Smurf in the middle of Skegness, I will do it,” she recalled.
“I just really wanted to work on the show, so I did everything for them.” She added that she took on various roles, including live shows in Warwick, competitions, and a Showbiz segment. Eventually, her chance came when she stepped in for Lisa Snowdon, which proved her ability to handle live TV. The “big pinch-me moment” arrived when they asked her to cover with Dermot O’Leary.
After shining alongside Dermot in January last year, Sian is now a regular part of the This Morning team, alongside Alison Hammond, Rochelle Humes, Craig Doyle, Ben Shephard, and her childhood idol, Cat Deeley.
However, her path to this dream job wasn’t easy. Sian had just recently given birth to her first child, Ruby, who is now seven months old, with fiancé Jake Beckett, a producer on the Capital breakfast show she still co-hosts alongside Jordan North and Chris Stark.
Balancing her work ethic with motherhood has taken a toll on Sian, admitting that it’s put her on the verge of an “exhaustion breakdown.” She explained, “Some days it is overwhelming and hard. I am not a quitter, I’m very motivated and don’t like anyone telling me I can’t do something, but I have to admit to myself that some days I can’t physically do everything.”
Sian Welby admitted that balancing her busy career with motherhood has been incredibly challenging, saying, “There aren’t enough hours in the day.” She explained that she’s had to schedule even the smallest moments, like taking a break for a quick bathroom trip. “There are days when I have a 4am alarm, go into Capital, run across London to This Morning, sometimes do a junket, then head home for teatime and bath time,” she shared. She also spoke about the difficulties of being a new mom, particularly when Ruby has been ill, explaining how she’s been up late caring for her baby, only to rise early for work. “There are times I’ve been sucking snot out of her nose at 1am and then getting up at 4am for the radio, still having to do my hair and makeup.”
Despite these struggles, Sian believes that women can “have it all” with the right adjustments and support, particularly from a loving partner. “This is a cool job, and I’m very, very lucky,” she said, acknowledging the hard moments where she didn’t feel like putting on makeup and being upbeat. She added, “I’m lucky that my other half is off work and doing almost a shared maternity leave. He’s been with Ruby, so I know she’s with her dad, which makes it a bit easier. But it is still really, really hard, and you are on the verge of an exhaustion breakdown.”
Sian also reflected on the inequalities women face, pointing out that “it isn’t equal in life because a man really can carry on and go back to work, whereas it takes a lot more working it out as a woman.” However, she encouraged other women, saying, “But you can.”
Sian’s journey into TV started when she was discovered by Channel 5 while still working at the high street fashion store, New Look, marking the beginning of her television career.
Sian Welby worked her way up at Channel 5, starting with presenting cycling and Formula E coverage before becoming the lead weather presenter in 2010, a position she held for six years.
In 2019, she joined Heart and also co-hosted the CBBC morning show Saturday Mash-Up in 2021. That same year, she became part of Roman Kemp’s breakfast show, where she continues to work alongside Jordan North. Sian, who trained as an actress, also still has dreams of writing her own comedy sitcom.
Since This Morning came calling, Sian Welby’s profile has skyrocketed. Last year, she interviewed Hollywood A-listers like Margot Robbie and Tom Cruise, and was even tipped as a potential replacement for Holly Willoughby as the main host, before Cat Deeley was given the role. With her blonde hair and big smile, the comparisons to Holly are inevitable, something Sian takes as a huge compliment. However, she admitted that stepping into the space left by the former host was nerve-wracking.
Sian explained, “You know how big the audience is with This Morning, and people have their favourites and don’t like change. I definitely felt a lot of pressure. The viewers have opinions, and I was always really nervous about how I would go down.” She continued, “I was coming in as a fairly unknown person. I know for most people I was a nobody, and I was expecting backlash with people saying, ‘Who on earth is this girl?'” However, Sian was pleasantly surprised by the overwhelmingly supportive response, especially from women and mums. “I was just praying people would give me a chance,” she added.
Her career transformation was highlighted by her role at the BRIT Awards 2025, where she will be hosting BRITs 2025: Live From The Red Carpet. Reflecting on how far she’s come, she recalled attending the music event ten years ago as a friend’s plus one, not even allowed to walk on the red carpet, instead entering through a side door.
This year, everything will change for Sian, as she’ll be standing alongside music’s biggest stars. Reflecting on her journey, she shared, “It’s been such a journey for me with this job. I remember being desperate to be invited to the BRITs. I came as someone’s plus one back in 2015, and I didn’t really have anything to wear. I couldn’t get a photo because I wasn’t allowed on the red carpet and had to go through a side door.”
Reflecting on her journey, Sian shared, “That was my first experience of being able to go, and I was so buzzing. Being a kid from a small village, I remember watching the ceremony and seeing the Spice Girls, Geri’s dress—so for me, it was so cool just to be there.” Fast forward to last year, where she was on the red carpet with Capital, and now this year, she’ll be working for the BRITs, fully glammed up with access all areas—it’s an amazing accomplishment for her.
For her big red carpet moment, Sian has planned a show-stopping outfit that’s so tight she won’t be able to use the toilet for hours. She explained, “I’ve taken the brief so literally—I’m going as a BRIT Award. I’ll be wearing a metallic silver structured piece of armour with built-in boobs, like a boob corset with a chainmail skirt. I’ve just tried it on, and because of how it is, I’ll be sewn into it, and that’ll be that. I’ll be trapped in it all night. I can’t sit down in it because it’s too rigid, and I can’t go to the loo.”
Looking ahead, Sian has big aspirations. “I would love to get to a point where I am one of the faces of TV. I want to do a Saturday night show and be in that world,” she said. “I’m so close to feeling that energy. I have the breakfast show, we treat it like that, with big stunts, prizes, everyday people, and funny stories. I get a taste of it with This Morning, and it moves at 100 miles an hour, so I really do feel ready to be given the chance on a big TV show and for them to trust me with a new face on there.”