Regular hosts Holly Willoughby, Philip Schofield, Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes have been taking some time away from beloved daytime show This Morning of late, with a bevy of celebrities stepping in to cover - but there was one particularly special moment on Thursday, when Gok Wan and Rylan Clark-Neal took the reins. Since the episode – which also featured TV doctor Dr Ranj Singh - aired, viewers have spoken out about how thrilled they were to see three gay men, from three different ethnic backgrounds, hosting the show.
Gok and Rylan presented on Thursday, and were also joined by Dr Ranj Singh
Both Gok and Dr Ranj took to Instagram to share their own reaction to the landmark episode. Gok shared a post from Attitude magazine, which read: "We all talk a lot about LGBT representation in big budget TV shows and Hollywood films, but this week @itv's @thismorning has been quietly beaming a diverse panel of gay men into millions of living rooms across the country, as our own amazing columnist @drranj joins stand-in hosts @rylan and @therealgokwan on the sofa each morning."
MORE: Cheryl is coming back to our TV screens – and it's not the X Factor
It continued: "It's been amazing to see, and is something we hope continues in the months and years to come. Keep up the good work boys - you're smashing it!" Dr Ranj also shared a post from Rob Berkeley MBE, which said: "Take a break from writing. Flick through daytime TV. See ethnically diverse group of gay men expertly presenting mainstream programming… Pause to appreciate how refreshing it is to see progress. Smile. Back to work."
The medical expert wrote his own message, too, captioning the picture: "This is just a normal day... but many people may not realise how important this image is. It sends SUCH a powerful message to any young person who may be struggling with their identity. It shows them that it doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from, or who you love, YOU can follow your dreams just like anyone else. Makes me so proud to be part of the @ITV @thismorning team!"
MORE: BBC Breakfast's Dan Walker just let slip he's doing Strictly Come Dancing 2018 - by accident!