ITV will hold live auditions to find the perfect replacement for Holly Willoughby on This Morning it has been revealed. 

Willoughby announced in early October she was quitting the show after 14 years as host.

Her announcement came after former co-host Phillip Schofield stepped down from This Morning and ITV in May when it was revealed he'd had an affair with a younger male colleague. 

Now ITV is looking for two full-time replacements on This Morning. 

Presenters including This Morning regulars Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary have been filling the void left by Schofield and Willoughby, with help from the likes of Josie Gibson, Craig Doyle and Rochelle Humes. 

ITV to hold live auditions to find Holly Willougby's replacement on This Morning

ITV bosses are hopeful they have found a full-time replacement for Schofield, with reports suggesting Ben Shephard is set to make the move from Good Morning Britain (GMB) - also on ITV - as early as January, the Daily Mail reported. 

ITV had hoped to pair Shephard with Willoughby after the pair formed a strong on-air relationship while co-hosting the show recently. 

But after Willougby's decision to quit the show, ITV bosses have been forced into a re-think. 

The Northern Echo: Who will replace Holly Willoughby on This Morning?Who will replace Holly Willoughby on This Morning? (Image: ITV)

Former Big Brother star Gibson is said to be heading to Australia in the coming months to take part in I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here. 

She currently hosts two or three This Morning shows a week and ITV has seen her trip down under as a golden opportunity to audition for a presenter to take over from Willoughby full-time. 

An insider, speaking to the Daily Mail, said: "There will be a mix of different hosts over the coming weeks as bosses screen test various contenders, some who will have been on the show before and some won't.

"There is a great existing pool of presenters both male and female who have featured before but bosses will also be looking outside of the show to try potential new faces out.

"It's an obvious way to test chemistry, likeability, and the sheer skill of presenters to see if they can make hosting a live two and a half hour show look easy. 

"The show requires a solid pairing that look and feel comfortable and have the ability to swiftly navigate from the light-hearted moments through to the tougher ones.

"Bosses have been inundated with suggestions for the next This Morning duo but they will take their time to get it right but there has been huge interest from agents calling in on behalf of their clients."

Frontrunners to replace Willoughby include GMB presenter Kate Garraway and Davina McCall (My Mum, Your Dad and The Masked Singer), according to the Daily Mail.

Channel 5's Storm Huntley and model Abbey Clancy, who is married to former England footballer Peter Crouch, have also been rumored as potential hosts of This Morning. 

But these claims are said to be "untrue" according to the Daily Mail.

Humes has also been deemed a "very unlikely" replacement, while ITV executives feel that Gibson and Hammond are "too lightweight to become the main anchors" the Mail added.

This Morning airs weekdays on ITV1 at 10am.