A close friend of Mike Tindall has addressed the ongoing row facing This Morning presenters Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby after they were accused of skipping the queue.
In his podcast The Good, The Bad and The Rugby, Mike Tindall who is married to Princess Anne's daughter Zara, paid tribute to the monarch. Speaking with his fellow rugby stars James Haskell and Alex Payne, he gave an insight into the royal family's activities following the Queen's death.
Addressing the abuse facing Holly and Phil, presenter Alex Payne praised how the nation came together following the loss of Her Majesty.
He said: "We had the most intensely special woman leading the way, dealing with powerful men with egos the size of houses and putting them in their place, [she was] leading by example, not fussing, not moaning and doing her duty."
He added: "For me, she was the greatest role model, and she was to the best of the best of us."
Discussing the public backlash, he added: "What was even more outstanding was ordinarily the average person in the street is so focused on putting food on the table, keeping the lights on and we allow a vocal minority who want to cause fuss about everything.
"But because everybody's attention was on it, it was positive, it was a really nice place to be.
"It was really good because the majority who don't normally speak on social media because they're too busy living were commenting and all the nonsense got drowned out.
"And then just after the funeral on Monday, everyone went back to work to carry on what they're doing, and then all the other Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield stuff came up because people didn't have anything to do and that vocal minority got back to their old tricks.
"But I thought it was a really nice thing to show that when everybody's attention is on something that's a good cause, just how powerful that is. "
The pair have been criticised on social media over claims they jumped the public line to pay their respects in Westminster Hall earlier this month.
Programme bosses stressed the hosting duo attended as members of the media to film a segment for Tuesday’s show.
When This Morning returned on the Tuesday following the Queen’s funeral, Willoughby addressed the criticism on social media.
Speaking on their daytime show last Tuesday, Holly issued a lengthy statement about the pictures of them at Westminster Hall.
"We were given official permission to access the hall, it was strictly for reporting on the event for millions of people in the UK who haven't been able to visit Westminster in person," Holly said in a pre-recorded voice over.
She added: "The rules were, that we would be quickly escorted around the edges to a platform at the back."
"In contrast, those paying respect stood on a carpeted area beside the coffin and were given time to pause. None of the broadcasters or journalists there took anyone's place in the queue and no one filed past the Queen."
Holly admitted they understood the backlash surrounding them being at the lying in state.
"We, of course, respected those rules. However, we realised it may have looked like something else and therefore totally understand the reaction.
"Please know we would never jump the queue," she concluded.
The chief executive of ITV hit back at the row, as she said the pair were misrepresented”.
Dame Carolyn McCall said the This Morning co-presenters were safe in their jobs, despite an online petition to have them fired, and praised their work for the broadcaster.
Speaking at the RTS London Convention, Dame Carolyn was asked what they did wrong.
She replied: "Honestly, nothing. Honestly. They did have accreditation. Lots of people saying they didn’t. They were sent by This Morning to do a piece for September 20, which ran.
"They were to interview people inside and outside. They didn’t displace anyone in the queue. And they’ve been very misrepresented, actually.
"And that’s why we made a statement. Unusually, we made a statement to say all of those things. But it does show you how things spread and how misinformation just spreads. And it is really horrible for them.”
Dame Carolyn dismissed the idea they had been "cancelled” before adding: "I think they’re highly relevant and still very topical, and I think the majority of their viewers love watching them.
"But there is a very shrill kind of voice against and it will hurt them.”
