Entertainment

Susanna Reid says sleep will take a ‘backseat’ while she covers US election

Reid and Ed Balls will present Good Morning Britain from Washington DC on November 6 and 7.

Susanna Reid
Susanna Reid (Ian West/PA)

Good Morning Britain (GMB) co-host Susanna Reid has said sleep will take a “backseat” while she covers the US election for ITV.

On November 5, US voters will decide who they want as their next president – Democratic nominee Kamala Harris or Republican candidate Donald Trump.

Alongside her co-host Ed Balls, Reid will present Good Morning Britain: America Decides on November 6, with special guests including Stormy Daniels, the woman at the centre of Mr Trump’s hush money trial, and The News Agents podcast co-host Jon Sopel.

Laura Tobin, Sean Fletcher, Charlotte Hawkins, Susanna Reid, Richard Arnold and Ed Balls with the TRIC Special Award for Good Morning Britain in 2023
Laura Tobin, Sean Fletcher, Charlotte Hawkins, Susanna Reid, Richard Arnold and Ed Balls with the TRIC Special Award for Good Morning Britain in 2023 (Ian West/PA)

Speaking to Radio Times, Reid said: “Ed Balls and I are flying straight out to Washington DC after hosting Good Morning Britain on Monday 4 November.

“We’ll be soaking up the atmosphere. Then we’ll be on the ground, presenting the election results programme on the Wednesday morning.”

She continued: “It’ll be one of those weeks where sleep takes a backseat.

“There are some stories where the adrenaline and cortisone just stream through your body!”

Speaking about her co-host Balls, she added: “He’s steeped in politics, a political veteran even at his very young age!

“He’s not just an expert on British politics – he’s a senior fellow at Harvard, so an expert on American politics, too. He’ll bring an experienced eye to our coverage.”

Reid previously covered US elections in 2016 and 2020 for GMB alongside presenter and former Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan.

Radio Times front cover
Radio Times front cover

She said: “Piers, as we know, had a very close relationship with Donald Trump, and in 2016 Piers called it for Trump very early on, saying, ‘Don’t underestimate this man. He’s a winner. He knows how to strike a deal.’

“He was a lone voice among the media commentariat. People were absolutely convinced Hillary Clinton was going to win it. But Piers stuck to his guns.”

ITV’s election coverage will be led by Tom Bradby, who is presenting Harris V Trump: The Results from 10.45pm on ITV1 and ITVX on November 5.

He will be joined by correspondent Robert Moore and ITV News’ deputy political editor Anushka Asthana.

GMB will be live from Washington DC on November 6 and 7.