Melissa Forman and Jeanne Sparrow

Fans of Melissa Forman and Jeanne Sparrow soon will have a third hour to enjoy their company each morning.

Weigel Broadcasting WCIU-Channel 26 is expanding the live, local entertainment show hosted by Forman and Sparrow to three hours. Starting in September, "You & Me This Morning” will air from 6 to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday.

Since its debut in October 2009, the show has been airing from 6 to 8 a.m. Its wide-ranging format encompasses everything from news, weather, entertainment, beauty and fashion, home and family, and health and fitness to celebrity guest interviews.

The syndicated “Dr. Phil” currently airs at 8 a.m. on The U.

Rob Morhaim

“I always say ‘You & Me This Morning’ is the show that ‘zags’ when everyone else in the market is ‘zigging,’ ” senior executive producer Rob Morhaim said in a statement Monday.

“We are the show for people who are tired of waking up to the same news about what terrible thing happened the night before. We’re the show for people searching for a lighter and more fun way to start their day and viewers are responding. I’m delighted that we’re able to add an additional hour of local content with Jeanne and Melissa, who are so incredibly talented, relatable and without question, have the best teeth in morning television,” Morhaim said.

Coinciding with the expansion, The U announced plans to increase staffing for the show.

In the Nielsens for May, “You & Me This Morning” trailed the market from 6 to 8 a.m. weekdays, averaging a 0.4 rating (14,136 households) and 1.6 share. Among viewers between 25 and 54, the show had a 0.3 rating. Among viewers between 18 and 49, it had a 0.2 rating.