Trisha Goddard has shared a heartfelt thank you to viewers after the overwhelmingly positive response to her debut as a presenter on Good Morning Britain.
The 66-year-old, who is a household name thanks to her eponymous talk show Trisha, presented the programme alongside Richard Madeley from Tuesday to Thursday last week.
© Ken McKay/ITV/ShutterstockTaking to Instagram on Sunday, Trisha shared her gratitude for all the support she's received over the past few days. "A heartfelt thank you for all of your kind, sweet messages and to the @gmb team. It has meant SO much to me," penned the star.
"One way to get people back to work? Create work environments that truly support those with chronic health conditions and disabilities… both physical and/or mental," said Trisha, who was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer in 2022 and opened up about her diagnosis with HELLO! in February.
"The vast majority of us WANT to work and we bring a whole new and valuable perspective to a company's productivity. We want to contribute to society and the workplace as much as we possibly can. It's estimated that by 2040 there will be 6 million people LIVING with chronic health conditions," she wrote, revealing the "stigma" surrounding people with chronic health conditions and their attitudes towards work.
© Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock"So stigmatising and alienating those people and their families by labelling them 'work-shy' and 'lazy' just sitting around waiting for 'hand-outs', only exacerbates feelings of being on the scrap heap, when they have so much to contribute," continued the broadcaster, before thanking fans once again for their support.
"Who can YOU support in your workplace or community in the same way that will go a long way to helping them feel as cherished as you and @gmb have made me feel?" she concluded.
Trisha's Good Morning Britain co-stars were quick to show their support in the comments section, including Susanna Reid, who is currently on annual leave. "This is wonderful. You are magnificent. So glad that you felt supported by the amazing @gmb team. See you again soon," wrote the host.
© Ken McKay/ITV/ShutterstockMeanwhile, Sean Fletcher penned: "Love this post Trisha. Great to work with you on @gmb. Let's do it again sometime," while newsreader Marverine Cole added: "Nailed it, Trisha. The GMB team are a cracking bunch. Welcoming everyone with open hearts, and minds. Come back soon, won’t you?!?"
Trisha has been very open about her cancer diagnosis in recent weeks. Ahead of her presenting debut, the broadcaster appeared on GMB as a guest and explained why she initially chose to keep her diagnosis a secret from the public.
"I was grappling with how to deal with it myself. Plus I just wanted to work and be me," she told hosts Kate Garraway and Ed Balls. "With CNN and my colleagues there, they didn't know that I had no hair, that I had no feeling in my legs – from the treatment, because I had chemo every week for four and a half months."
Trisha first revealed her diagnosis during an exclusive interview with HELLO! earlier this year. "It's not going to go away," said Trisha, who has opted for "life pro-longing care" for her cancer, for which there is treatment but no cure. "And with that knowledge comes grief, and fear. But I must keep enjoying what I have always enjoyed," she added.
