GMB's Susanna Reid confirms break from show - and Ed Balls has four-word response

Susanna Reid has announced she's taking a break from her duties on Good Morning Britain.

The 53-year-old presenter has let her dedicated fans know that she'll be off the air from the popular ITV breakfast programme until September, although she teased that viewers "may" catch sight of her during the interim.

She disclosed her temporary departure at the conclusion of Wednesday's broadcast on July 10 and sought to put co-host Ed Balls' mind at ease by affirming he was in the capable "good hands" of the GMB crew, including Charlotte Hawkins.

Susanna declared: "I'm going to say goodbye because it's now time for me to go off on a break, which means I say goodbye to you at home. You never know, I might pop up in the meantime, but otherwise I will be back in September! ".

Ed quizzed, "Do you have to? " followed by a playful "Can't you just stay for a bit? " Susanna, however, consoled him with the assurance of being in good company during her absence, capped with her farewell remark, "I've got to say bye" She wrapped up her segment by exclaiming "Come on, England" in anticipation of England's Euro 2024 semi-final bout against the Netherlands happening tonight, reports the Mirror.

This light-hearted exchange ensued following a bit of confusion caused by Charlotte's news segment before the highly anticipated football game. As Charlotte wrapped up her update, she intriguingly proposed, "In case you were wondering how the football is going to go tonight, I have the answer."

Addressing the predictions for the upcoming match, she informed, "A group of mystic meerkats have predicted victory for England over the Netherlands."

Subsequently, Charlotte showcased footage for the audience depicting meerkats from an East Sussex zoo having their pick between two buckets of nuts.

The animals gathered around the flag of England rather than that of the Netherlands, leading to an unimpressed response from Susanna and Ed about the unusual prognostic technique.

Susanna's skepticism was palpable as she remarked: "In case you're sceptical about this, Susanna I can see that look on your face. So far, the predictive pack have correctly picked all of England's results."

The confident assertion followed: "So, I am sticking with the meerkats. It's going to be a win for England." Amidst a momentary pause, Susanna questioned the integrity of the experiment: "how could we be sure there were even nuts in the bucket representing the Netherlands? ".

As Charlotte defended the meerkat's foresight, referencing the legendary result-predicting Paul the octopus, Susanna interjected emphatically: "Mystic animals should not be in news bulletins Charlotte Hawkins! ".

Laughter ensued between them, with Ed contributing his quip: "Clutching at straws." Charlotte responded playfully, feigning shock: "Ooh harsh! " Susanna then suggested embracing the positive prediction in support of the team, albeit with a tinge of reluctance: "I don't mean to rain on the meerkat's parade."

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV at 6am