Jenni Falconer would 'walk around in a trance' after 2.30am GMTV wake-ups

Jenni Falconer says she'd walk around "in a trance" when she was forced to wake up at 2.30am for her appearances on GMTV.

The gig as co-host of the show's Entertainment Today segment was one of Falconer's first TV roles in 2000 and, with filming beginning at 4am, she had to set some very early alarm clocks.

She told the Mirror that she has had to develop numerous strategies over the years to deal with her various breakfast jobs on TV and radio but, in those days, it was a struggle.

The 46-year-old said: "I pretty much walked around in a trance, hoping I wouldn’t fall asleep at the dinner table or on the tube home, which happened at least once a week."

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Falconer's eight years on GMTV, mostly spent presenting alongside Ben Shephard, involved such early timings that she viewed her subsequent move to This Morning as an excuse for a lie-in.

Her early mornings continued when she moved into the world of radio, fronting the Sunday breakfast slot for Heart and then moving even earlier into its 4am slot.

Falconer confessed that she and her husband — actor James Midgley — became "like ships passing in the night", with him sometimes hopping into bed just an hour before she had to wake up.

The star, who is a keen runner and the host of exercise podcast RunPod, credits her enthusiasm for staying active with successfully managing the awkward hours.

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She said: "When you work these hours, you make sacrifices but it’s amazing the difference exercise and nutrition can make."

Since 2020, Falconer has become the host of the breakfast show on Smooth Radio, as well as fronting a mid-morning programme on Saturdays.

As well as hosting her running podcast, she serves as a trainer for those hoping to increase their own amount of exercise via the Start 2 Run app.

Falconer has completed the London Marathon several times, including on three occasions raising money for The Children's Trust for which she is an ambassador.

Watch: Jenni Falconer and other celebs visit Disney Store opening