Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield returned to This Morning for the first time yesterday following news of their apparent friendship fallout.
The ITV duo have been colleagues and close pals for over 17 years, having first met while presenting Dancing on Ice in 2006.
Prior to the alleged feud, Holly and Phil were fan favourites with viewers, who couldn't get enough of their incredible chemistry.
From laughing at all the wrong moments to getting the giggles and finishing each others' sentences, the once inseparable pair were like two peas in a pod.
But after a number of rumoured back-stage disputes, things are said to be so strained that the pair are now 'barely speaking' off-camera. So what happened to break their seemingly impenetrable bond?
'Jealousy'
Back in 2019, their working relationship was said to have become 'strained' amid claims that Phil was 'jealous' when Holly replaced Ant McPartlin on the 2018 series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here and won a BAFTA for it.
Sources alleged that Phil banned Holly from speaking about her victory on the show, and claimed he wasn't happy a photo spread in a weekend newspaper had focused on Holly and not him.
The source told The Sun: "Phillip was furious. He didn't want Holly mentioning her triumph when they reunited on This Morning.
"It felt very petty and bitter for someone who is his close friend. But it felt like he was jealous."
Tensions were also said to have increased when Holly allegedly wanted Phil to stop posting videos of her boozing on social media but used their joint management company to deliver her request.
This Morning bosses hit back at the claims and said Phillip and Holly had a "genuine friendship".
A spokesperson said: "We have the smartest viewers watching telly and believe me they would be the first to notice any issues - they haven't because there are none."
ITV also refuted any unrest, saying in a full statement: "It's deeply disappointing and unfair for Phillip to be the target of this sort of malicious gossip.
"Phillip is a much respected broadcaster and colleague and this is absolutely not a description of This Morning that we recognise.
"Holly and Phil are great friends both on and off screen and are popular among viewers and colleagues alike."
Finally addressing the rumours in 2021, Holly told pal Fearne Cotton's Happy Place podcast that she couldn't deal with people having the wrong idea.
She said: "I was watching from afar when you've got every person in the press saying that you and Phillip are having a tough time. Meanwhile, you're great friends and there were no arguments.
"That was a particularly difficult time. But I remember having a conversation with Phil and it was like, 'But we know'."
Holly added: "I have to believe that, as long as you know inside, and you know the truth - you know your truth – then everything is ok."
Queue-gate drama
The pair found themselves at the centre of a social media backlash in September after being falsely accused of jumping the queue to visit the Queen lying in state.
This Morning and the presenters later issued a statement clarifying the issue, but public anger continued to rise - with over 75,000 signing a petition to axe Holly and Phil from the ITV show.
A source told OK! that the atmosphere in the studio was "awful" and the Queue-gate drama has made their relationship "extremely awkward".
"You could cut the tension in the room with a knife," the insider said. "The fact that the audience are now noticing it too indicates that big cracks are starting to show."
At the time, Phil and Holly told viewers: "Like hundreds of accredited broadcasters and journalists we were given official permission to access the hall.
"It was strictly for the purpose of reporting on the event for millions of people in the UK who haven't been able to visit Westminster in person.
"The rules were that we would be quickly escorted around the edges to a platform at the back. In contrast those paying respects walked along a carpeted area beside the coffin and were given time to pause.
"None of the broadcasters and journalists took anyone's places in the queue and no one filed past the Queen.
"We of course respected those rules however we realised that it may have looked like something else and therefore we totally understand the reaction.
"Please know that we would never jump a queue."
Kept in the dark
Despite their closeness, Phillip is said to have kept Holly in the dark over his brother Timothy's trial for child sex offences. He was convicted and will be sentenced this week.
During the hearing, Phil - who has now publicly rejected his brother - took three weeks off work from This Morning, and fans were surprised when, on his return, Holly took a week off sick with shingles.
An insider told the Daily Mail: "Holly had to find out from someone else, which must have been awful for her. She has been so loyal to him."
Distancing herself
Eagle-eyed fans noticed 42-year-old Holly has seemingly wiped Phillip from her social media in recent weeks.
In her Twitter bio she had previously written: "I was introduced to this by a Twitter legend," before tagging her presenting partner.
Her Twitter bio now reads: "Broadcaster, Founder of Wyldemoon, Brand ambassador for Marks & Spencer and Garnier, Author of Reflections" - something that didn't slip past her and Phil's viewers.
The Mirror exclusively reported last week that Holly had been pushing for ITV to make a decision on Phillip so she can rebrand herself and plan for the future if needs be.
A source said: "Holly was considering her position on the show earlier this year, as she couldn't see Phil being ousted.
"But that is now a real possibility and she wants to see a decision made on both of their futures quickly.
"That is what is behind Holly asking her team to reach out to ITV – she is trying to move things forward.
"There has been no bloodbath meeting yet, but that could well be to come. The sooner it happens, the sooner she can rebrand herself."
It is understood Holly now sees her distance from Phil as an opportunity to rebrand herself as a "woman's woman", fronting the show with Alison Hammond – as she did during Phil's absence from the sofa last month.
Shock statement
In a statement to The Sun, Phillip shut down any suggestion that his friendship with Holly has suffered in recent weeks.
Describing her as his 'rock', he said: "The last few weeks haven't been easy for either of us. My family went through a real ordeal.
"And 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."
Phillip explained that Holly had been his pal through "thick and thin".
But Holly is said to have been 'blindsided' and 'deeply upset' by the statement as she had no idea Phil was going to speak publicly about their rumoured rift.
A source claimed it was "desperate stuff" from Phillip given the current state of their relationship.
There was no public reply from Holly.
