Rumours that Ms Bleakley was to join her former One Show co-host at GMTV have been quashed following the announcement she is to sign a new £1 million deal with the BBC.

Back in April, forty three year old Adrian Chiles left The One Show – which he co-hosted with Bleakley - for GMTV, reportedly furious because Chris Evans had been asked to replace him on Fridays. He has since made repeated attempts to get Bleakley to join him, & ITV were reported to be pursing a deal with her.

However, recently a spokesman for the BBC said: “We might not be able to match money offered elsewhere but we think we can offer Christine the most exciting line-up of shows offering real challenges.” And it seems he was right! Despite a reported offer from ITV of a lucrative £6 million four year package to join them, Bleakley – who is currently dating England football star, Frank Lampard - has opted to stay with the BBC for a new £1 million deal, which will begin in September when the current one ends.

Her new co-presenter on The One Show will be twenty nine year old comedian, Jason Manford who she seems to approve of. Speaking of her decision to stay, & her anticipated working partnership with Manford she said: “I don’t want to go anywhere.

“I love Jason. I’ve met him a few times and our rapport is getting better all the time.

“I love funny men, guys who don’t take themselves too seriously. The first time I met him, we were interviewing him on the show and he was dressed as the Tin Man – you can’t not like that, can you? He will be brilliant.

“I’m confident our chemistry will be as good as the one Adrian and I shared – we just need time.”

A source from the BBC is alleged to have said: said: “Christine did not want a megabucks, golden handcuffs deal as she did not want the pressure that comes with it. She is hugely popular within the BBC and we have absolute faith in her.”

It had been reported that prior to reaching agreement on the deal, Bleakley has been told by the BBC that they would make her the biggest female star on TV if she signed a new contract. It is thought that the new package offered to her by the BBC could include the 2012 Olympics as well as Saturday night shows.