She’s been away from prime time telly for years, but on Friday night a popular naughties presenter made a triumphant return and stepped back into the limelight.
Kate Thornton sent her fans into a frenzy when she posted some exciting news of her imminent appearance on television.
The former X Factor host is set to feature in the Christmas special of The Hit List, hosted by Rochelle and Marvin Humes.
Taking to Instagram, the Greatest Hits radio host shared the revelation: ‘Tonight at 6 pm, I showcase my fiercely competitive side alongside @greggawallace on @bbchitlist.
‘I might just leave the country on Boxing Day – perhaps to embark on a new life with a fresh identity, depending on how they’ve edited my antics.’
Alongside the caption, Kate, 50, posted a picture on the BBC One show’s set, next to the Masterchef’s Gregg Wallace.
Fans rushed to the comment section after the episode had aired to share their delight in watching the blonde bombshell back on their screens.
One user wrote: ‘Well done Kate & Gregg you were ace!!’
Another penned: ‘Just watched Hitlist you both were so good.’
Whilst a third said: ‘Bet you smashed it babs with your pop knowledge!’
Hosted by I’m A Celeb contestant Marvin and his This Morning presenter wife Rochelle, The Hit List challenges three pairs—comprising of friends, family, or celebrities—to identify a series of songs or artists.
With time ticking against them, they must censor their response once the music plays to have a shot at winning the cash prize.
Kate is most recognised for presenting the early series of The X Factor, before she faced the axe in 2007 and was replaced by Dermot O’Leary.
Since the reality singing show, the-mum-of-one has made brief appearances as a guest host on This Morning.
She presented a huge 233 episodes of ITV’s Loose Women from 2009 until 2011 but was reportedly axed from the show when ratings slumped.
During her time on Loose Women, Kate told how a TV boss fat-shamed her by saying the show wanted to send her to boot camp to lose weight – but she told him where to go.
The presenter who struggled with the eating disorders when she was a teenager, was regularly beaten to the ground by bullies for being ‘chubby’ – to the extent the police were involved following death threats.
Talking on Laura Whitmore’s Castaway podcast in 2020, Kate opened up about going through such a horrible experience so young.
She said: ‘When I was a teenager, I had quite a tough time in my teens with bullying at school and weight issues, and those two things combined.
‘I made a documentary many years later to finally understand that those two things were really big contributing factors to me developing eating disorders.
‘And the way I got out of that as a teenager was through a brilliant GP who did talking therapy with me at a time when nobody had therapy – you’re talking about the 80s.’
Kate developed anorexia as a teen, and then underwent psychodynamic therapy to overcome the disorder.
For help and support with eating disorders contact SEED on (01482) 718130 or visit www.seedeatingdisorders.org.uk
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
