Bill Turnbull left Susanna Reid wincing today as he joked he was about to "storm off" Good Morning Britain after bickering with her over time.
The reference, clearly meant to be a dig at Piers Morgan after his sudden exit earlier this year, earned a cough from Susanna and some awkward silence.
The 65-year-old has joined Susanna in Piers' old seat for the week and the pair were joined by Energy Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan, who they grilled about the Government's denial that herd immunity had once been part of the strategy last year.
Towards the end of the interview, Bill said: "I think we'll leave it there because we're past 8am and I'm very sharp on time."
Yet Susanna wasn't happy and exclaimed: "No we can't leave it there."
Ignoring him, she continued to interview the MP regarding the recent report into Martin Bashir's interview with Princess Diana.
She quipped: "I am going over time. Bill Turnbull is very agitated with me because back at the BBC we had to stay to time."
When GMB later returned from its ad break, Bill joked: "For a moment I thought I was going to have to storm out of the studio."
With weather presenter Alex Beresford - who rowed with Piers over Meghan, leading the host to stomp off set - back in the studio today, Bill's comment was even more awkward.
As Susanna coughed and fell silent, Bill remarked: "Oh, embarrassed silence..."
But viewers were largely thrilled today as Susanna and Bill were reunited to host once again - seven years after they appeared on BBC Breakfast together.
Susanna, 50, left the BBC in 2014 following her appearance on Strictly Come Dancing the year before to join ITV alongside Piers Morgan.
Bill, 65, decided to quit BBC Breakfast in 2016 after 15 years presenting the show. Two years later he confirmed that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
"I'm delighted beyond words," Bill said as he greeted viewers this morning. "It's been too long, Susanna!"
*Good Morning Britain airs weekdays at 6am on ITV
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