Holly Willoughby has broken her social media silence following the backlash she faced after being falsely accused of skipping the queue to see the Queen lying in state.
Both Holly, 41, and her This Morning co-star Phillip Schofield, 60, have faced intense scrutiny online after a photo emerged which appeared to show the two skipping the public queue to see the Queen's coffin. However, the ITV presenters soon explained that they were at Westminster Hall as members of the press and didn't need to join the queue to report on the events, reports the Mirror.
Since then, Holly has been keeping a low profile online after being viciously trolled but took to social media to congratulate her close friend Lisa Snowdon on winning Celebrity MasterChef on Thursday night. Sharing Lisa’s post, she wrote: "Congrats. Well done clever lady," adding a red heart emoji.
Both Holly and Phil had been noticeably silent on Instagram since the queue jump saga began, with the duo still not posting on their main pages. Holly's last Instagram post was on September 12, four days before, while Phil hasn't posted since September 8.
The mum-of-three posted a sweet tribute to the Queen, as she shared letters her children had written to leave at the gates of Buckingham Palace. Holly had also posted a snap of her children - Chester, seven, Belle, 11, and Harry, 13 - as they visited the palace to lay down flowers and pay their respects.
The post has since attracted nasty comments from some people, although others have apologised for the "vilification" Holly and Phil have received and offered their support.
Phillip, who posts on Instagram less often than his This Morning co-host, most recently shared a black and white picture of the late monarch. Alongside the snap, he wrote: "Thank you Ma’am," with a broken heart emoji.
Speaking on their daytime show on Tuesday, the duo 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," Holly concluded.
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