ITV This Morning presenter Holly Willoughby has posted on social media for the first time following accusations of queue jumping during the Queen's lying-in-state. The 41 year old and co-host Philip Schofield faced a huge public backlash after pictures of them inside Westminster Hall Westminster Hall.
This Morning bosses issued a statement explaining the duo were not skipping the queue but were working and reporting on events. After keeping a low profile online amid the drama, Holly posted on her Instagram stories today, Friday, September 23, to congratulate her close pal Lisa Snowdon on winning Celebrity MasterChef, The Mirror reports.
Sharing Lisa’s post, she wrote: "Congrats. Well done clever lady," adding a red heart emoji. Both Holly and Phil, 60, had been noticeably silent on Instagram since the queue jump saga began, with the duo still not posting on their main pages.
Read more: Police chased councillor Tom Hollis through Nottinghamshire petrol station forecourt
Holly's last Instagram post was on September 12, four days before the queue-jump drama, 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.
READ NEXT:
