'Terrifying' reason TV presenter Cat Deeley returned to UK after 14 years in US
10 March 2024, 14:04 | Updated: 10 March 2024, 14:06
The "terrifying" reason TV presenter Cat Deeley returned to the UK with her family has been revealed.
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The 47-year-old moved across the pond over a decade ago to present shows such as So You Think You Can Dance?
But while living over there, her husband Patrick Kielty and their son, Milo, were caught up in a gun incident in a shopping centre, leaving them "shaken".
They were at a Shake Shack restaurant in Century City, LA, in 2019 when emergency sirens started sounding.
An ex-Amazon employee was behind the attack, having set fire to books and pointed a gun at staff in the shopping centre, the Sun on Sunday revealed.
Read more: Man arrested after car crashes into Buckingham Palace gates and armed police swoop on vehicle
Deeley previously recalled seeing police and helicopters as she rushed to the scene.
In an interview in 2020, she said: "Everyone was told to lie behind the counter or pushed into the loos. People were screaming and crying. Then, as they were all hiding, the FBI turned up with guns.
"Paddy kept Milo calm — he didn’t really know what was going on."
She added: "As I was driving, I began to see helicopters, news vans, firemen and armed police response squads. It makes me go funny now. It was terrifying.
"Paddy was shaken by it, more than Milo, who didn’t properly understand. The gun laws in America are crazy."
Deeley began making plans to return to the UK shortly after the scare.
The details come after it was confirmed that Deeley would be taking over as the new host of This Morning alongside Ben Shephard - following the departure of Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield.
When she was announced, Deeley said: "This Morning is a national institution. Whenever it's on, it's like having your friends over - funny, smart, silly, heartfelt, informative and joyful - like all the greatest friendships..."
She added: "Ben and I both know how much people love it, and with the help of an amazing team of people, we're going to do our best to take care of it."
