Aled Jones joins The Sun's Lorraine Kelly on Daybreak sofa

Aled Jones joins The Sun's Lorraine Kelly on Daybreak sofa

The former child singing star will replace Adrian Chiles â€" axed six months ago with Christine Bleakley when the pair flopped after they were poached from The One Show.

Aled, 41 â€" famed for his high-pitched 1985 hit Walking In The Air from the animated film The Snowman â€" beamed: “I am so thrilled.”

He described Sun columnist Lorraine, 52 â€" a breakfast telly veteran â€" as a “consummate professional”. Songs Of Praise presenter Aled, who has clinched a deal thought to be £250,000 a year, added: “I am thoroughly looking forward to sharing the sofa every morning.”

The pair have been pals for years and ITV hopes their chemistry will revive the struggling breakfast show when it is relaunched in September.

Lorraine â€" who already fronts a self-titled morning show which goes out after Daybreak â€" said last night: “I don’t mind getting up a wee bit earlier. It’s going to be a fun new challenge. I can’t wait to get started. I love Aled and he makes me laugh. We get on so well.”

Her new co-presenter confirmed: “We’ve known each other for a very long time and have always had a lot of fun together.

“We hope the viewers enjoy being part of our breakfast family.”

The new-look show will not feature presenters Dan Lobb and Steve Hargrave, who have quit. But former GMTV girl Kate Garraway stays.

ITV also insists it will not ditch the name Daybreak â€" despite concerns over its association with the ratings disaster era of Chiles and Bleakley.

c.robertson@the-sun.co.uk