Katie Piper to miss ITV breakfast show for a second week in a row following "unexpected medical procedure"

Katie Piper has been forced to pull out of her ITV breakfast show for a second week in a row - and has been inundated with well-wishes from her TV colleagues.

The TV presenter, 40, had an adverse reaction to an eye operation and last week revealed that she’d had an “unexpected medical procedure”. The former model has undergone hundreds of surgeries after an acid attack in 2008, which has left her with permanent scarring and other injuries.

In her absence, it will be Charlotte Hawkins who steps into her shoes for Katie Piper’s Breakfast Show, which is broadcast every Saturday and Sunday morning on ITV. Since first going on air in 2022, the show has seen guests such as Made in Chelsea star Jamie Laing and Celebs Go Dating's Anna Williamson on the sofa.

Speaking to the Mirror, an inside source said: “Katie had quite a bad reaction to this operation, which has left her feeling really poorly. Much as she’d love to be back on the sofa on Saturday, at the moment it’s just not realistic and she acknowledges this. She is concentrating on her recovery so that she can be back to her best as soon as possible. ITV have been really understanding and have said to her that she should take all the time she needs before coming back.”

Updating fans on social media about her condition earlier this year, Piper said: “I've got a defect and an infection that is becoming really hard to treat. I have to give a shout out to my lovely husband, he's always there for me, always driving. He's spent a lot of time in hospital waiting rooms, eye clinic waiting rooms, wards, and he sits in a lot of car parks waiting for me. Also, if this helps anyone else - yes I do sometimes find it hard. I’m ok with looking different to everyone else but operations can sometimes take me back to memories of how this all started and that’s hard mentally.”

Showing support to the TV star, Carol Vorderman said: “Take care wonderful lady. You come first, telly is just telly. Sending huge love and respect.”

Andrea McClean added: “Sorry to hear that Katie. I hope all is well soon.”