13 hours ago
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- Daily Record
Cat Deeley shares real name on This Morning as she reunites with school teacher
This Morning host Cat Deeley was left stunned when her former primary school teacher appeared via video link and referred to her by her real name
Cat Deeley left her fans utterly astonished after revealing her actual name live on air. The 48-year-old This Morning presenter shed light on her unexpected alias during an endearing segment with her former teacher as part of Thank a Teacher Day celebrations.
Amid interviews with children discussing their school in Surrey, Cat was caught off guard by a surprise video call from Mrs Cotterill, her primary school mentor, who addressed the television personality by her birth name, stating: "Her name is Katie."
Ben Shepherd clarified to viewers: "Because you, of course, know her as Katie."
Taking the opportunity to elaborate on her name history, Cat, who received high praise from Mrs Cotterill, disclosed that while her official name is Catherine, she was affectionately referred to as Katie in her youth, reports the Mirror.
Explaining the personal significance, she mentioned: "Well my real name is Catherine, but my grandad always used to call me Katie and my mum and dad and stuff," and humorously noted, "Unless I was in trouble, then I was sometimes Catherine!"
Mrs Cotterill offered kind words about Cat, expressing delight at seeing her past pupil: "She was very enthusiastic, a very kind child. Always wanting to help, always wanting to be involved, just actually, an all round super person."
Raised in Birmingham, Cat attended Grove Vale Junior School and moved on to Dartmouth High School. At the age of 14, her flair for fashion propelled her to the national finals of a modelling competition hosted by BBC's The Clothes Show.
She was later scouted by a modelling agency, and it was at this juncture that her name was changed to Cat.
Last year, Cat and Ben were unveiled as the fresh faces of the renowned ITV morning programme, stepping into the shoes of long-standing presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield.
At the time, an insider lavished compliments on Cat while speaking to the Mirror, remarking on her "very recognisable face, thanks to her long stint of working on kids' TV".
Further commendations came in from them: "Back in the 90s and early 2000s, when she worked with Ant and Dec on SMTV Live, she was very warm and funny so it's hoped they can recreate some of that magic together."
Following her tenure presenting a myriad of shows, including So You Think You Can Dance? across the pond, Cat became settled in family life, marrying Irish comedian Patrick Kielty and having two sons, James and Milo.
Initially basing their family life in Los Angeles, they were driven to reconsider their location following a harrowing incident at a mall shooting which involved Patrick and Milo.
Prompted by this distressing event, during which Patrick received an active shooter alert from the FBI while shopping, in 2020, Cat and Patrick relocated back to England, opting for North London as their new abode.
