This Morning star Ben Shephard rarely talks about his private life when he’s in the hosting seat but was so touched by one viewer who had contacted the programme that he shared his own “struggles”.

On Wednesday’s episode (February 5), Ben, 50, was joined on the sofa by his co-star Cat Deeley, 48, and an expert as they in turn dissected the latest scientific research that suggests “people are happier in the morning”.

The University College London (UCL) COVID-19 Social Study found there was scientific proof that people generally feel happier in the morning than they do at night.

Ahead of the on-air chat, the two ITV hosts encouraged fans to get in touch with what might be preventing them from feeling gleeful at the moment. One person, Nicole outlined that she’d been struggling with “loneliness” following her children fleeing the nest.

This was something Ben knew all too well as he commented: “We’re struggling with this as well in our house,” later confirming that his eldest son Sam had gone off to University.

Nicole contacted the show, to ask for advice on how she could feel happier when her home felt so lonely now that her children had gone off to uni, and the Tipping Point star had lots to say on this.

Ben married his wife Annie in 2004, after the pair met and fell in love in 1994 and began dating a year later. After a decade of romance they finally decided to marry in an intimate ceremony in Devon.

Just a year later, they welcomed their first son Sam and in 2007 their second child Jack was born, completing their family. Their eldest is now approaching age 20 and Jack, 18.

Ben had a few tips to offer Nicole who had messaged in, noting that he and his wife Annie had also “struggled” with their eldest son Sam going off to uni too.

Ben Shephard and his wife Annie go on walks to “distract” from feeling lonely -Credit:Ben Shephard Instagram
Hoping to help Nicole feel a bit perkier when her children return to education each time, Ben encouraged: “I think one of the things we do when Sam’s gone back to uni is we organise to actually do something so they’ve gone, so we’ll go out for a walk or go out for a drink or go out for dinner and we will distract from the fact the house is suddenly quiet.”

Cat agreed: “It’s the quiet that makes you feel melancholic,” the host shot back telling his co-star: “It’s enormous I’ve got men living in my house and it’s really annoying they take up so much space and when they’re gone the sofas are empty there’s not as much mess.”

He added: “So we try and go out and do something together, reconnect and then try and come back and it doesn’t seem quite so empty I think.”

This Morning airs weekdays on ITV1, from 10am.