Rumours of a rift between the This Morning presenters have left views asking if Holly and Phil have actually fallen out...
Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield are one of the best-know presenting duos on British TV. The pair have been working together since 2006, when they started presenting Dancing on Ice, and have been on This Morning together since 2009 - making them partners for almost two decades. Their obvious friendship and fits of laughter have captivated TV audiences over the years, and the pair even used to regularly holiday together.
But more recently, reports of a distance between the duo have emerged, with Holly Willoughby taking on new projects away from Phil and their recent absences from This Morning fuelling speculation. It's certainly not the first time rumours around the friendship between the pair have reared their ugly head, but nevertheless fans are wondering if Holly and Phil have fallen out. Here's everything we know about the rumours...
Have Holly and Phil fallen out?
Reports have emerged of a feud between Holly and Phil - though Phillip Schofield has released a statement denying the claims. It's reported that the dispute is due to Phillip keeping Holly in the dark about his brother facing charges of child sex offences.
Sources have claimed that Holly didn't find out about the ordeal until Phillip took three weeks' leave from This Morning while the trial took place last month - though Phillip denies these claims.
Show bosses are said to have spent the weekend in crisis talks with the pair, and reports have emerged that off-screen the presenting duo are 'barely speaking'.
This Morning fans have also noticed that Holly has removed Phillip from her Twitter bio in the midst of the rumoured fall-out. Twitter users claim her bio used to read "I was introduced to this by a Twitter legend", with Phillip's name linked.
Now, it says, "Broadcaster, Founder of Wyldemoon, Brand ambassador for Marks & Spencer and Garnier, Author of Reflections." However, it is not clear when the change was made.
This latest rumoured feud comes after September 2022’s 'Queue-gate', in which the pair were accused of skipping the queue to see the late Queen Elizabeth's lying-in-state. Following the accusations, the pair released a statement stating that they were amongst hundreds of accredited journalists who were given permission to access the hall, and that they did not take anyone's place in the queue.
What has Phillip Schofield said about the rumours?
Phillip released a statement addressing the rumours, in which he said things had "not been easy" between the pair - but insisted there had been no fall out.
He told The Sun: "As I have said before, Holly is my rock. We’re the best of friends - as always, she is an incredible support on screen, behind the scenes and on the phone. Holly has always been there for me, through thick and thin. And I’ve been there for her. The last few weeks haven’t been easy for either of us."
Addressing his brother's conviction he added, "My family went through a real ordeal. Holly’s support throughout meant the world to me, as did the support of my bosses at ITV, my editor Martin Frizell and the whole This Morning family, including our amazing viewers. And of course Holly has herself been ill with shingles. Whatever happens, we still have each other to count on."
Phillip Schofield's statement about his brother
After Timothy Schofield was found guilty back in April, the This Morning presenter disowned his brother in a statement released by his lawyer.
He said: "My overwhelming concern is and has always been for the wellbeing of the victim and his family.
"I hope that their privacy will now be respected. If any crime had ever been confessed to me by my brother, I would have acted immediately to protect the victim and their family.
"These are despicable crimes, and I welcome the guilty verdicts. As far as I am concerned, I no longer have a brother."
What has Holly Willoughby said about the rumours?
The MailOnline quoted sources close to Holly Willoughby who said she had no idea that Phillip was going to make a statement, and that the first she saw of it was when it was published online.
They added that Holly was reportedly "blindsided" and "upset" by the statement, with one source telling the publication, "The statement came out of nowhere for Holly and it was upsetting. What a betrayal. It feels like he Phil is looking after himself here, with no regard for her."
Holly is yet to respond to claims of the rift herself, and amid the rumours she took to Instagram to wish her sister happy birthday, posting a photo of the pair and writing in the caption, "It’s this Beautiful human’s birthday… have the greatest day today and always…I love you so much".
Could Holly and Phil quit This Morning?
ITV has confirmed that Holly and Phil will be remaining on This Morning, but reports that their contracts are coming to an end has caused speculation that there may be a shake-up in presenters on the horizon.
Holly and Phil returned to host This Morning on Monday 15 May - for the first time since rumours of the feud surfaced - but neither addressed the speculation around their friendship during the opening of the show.
Rumours have also surfaced that Holly plans to remain on This Morning should Phillip leave the show, with a source recently telling The Sun that "Holly and Phil are not as close as they once were."
They added, "Holly adores This Morning and for the first time in 14 years she has made it clear that should Phil ever leave she would want to stay. They are separate entities."
Meanwhile, the MailOnline has reported that Holly is taking advice from those close to her on how to navigate the next stage of her career, as she fears there is 'no way back' for her friendship with Phil.
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