Phillip Schofield was a lone voice when he suggested Holly Willoughby for the This Morning presenting gig.
When Fern Britton announced she was stepping down from ITV's flagship daytime show after a decade at the helm in March 2009, a frantic search began to find her replacement.
Admitting he was sad that Fern was leaving after everything they had achieved together one the show, Phillip said he was looking forward to launching the new series in six months time with a new partner.
Many names were thrown into the hat but having stepped in to cover for Fern just a few months before, Phillip explained that Holly was "at the top of everybody's list to pick up where Fern leaves off".
"She filled in a few months ago and, from that moment on, everybody knew she was the obvious number one choice," he explained on his website in July 2009.
However, it has since been claimed by Holly that she heard cruel comments after being linked to the job and the only reason she got the role was because of Phillip's determination.
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Having moved over from a career in presenting children's TV, Holly and Phillip had already formed a close bond while presenting Dancing On Ice for three years.
But Holly believed she was being written off by critics claiming she would be 'unable to interview a Prime Minister'.
Speaking on Elizabeth Day's podcast How To Fail in November last year, Holly explained: "If it wasn’t for Phil, I wouldn’t be on This Morning now because everyone around him at the time when he suggested my name, were like, 'What? No! She might be alright in the fashion bit but there’s no way she could interview the Prime Minister…'
ITV bosses managed to get the deal over the line while Phillip was in the studios having photos taken for the opening titles of the new series.
"Holly immediately jumped into a car and came to the This Morning studios where we all had a couple of bottles of bubbly waiting for her arrival," he said.
Ironically, Holly interviewed then Prime Minister Gordon Brown in her first week on the job and was praised for doing a sterling job.
She added: "And I remember when I got the job and I totally only have him to thank for that and his belief. In literally week one, I had to interview the Prime Minister and I remember thinking in my head 'Oh my god, I can’t do this, they know I can’t do this.'"
Since then she has gone on to speak to a number of Prime Ministers, including David Cameron, Theresa May and Boris Johnson.
The much-loved TV duo have been giving This Morning viewers the perfect balance of hard-hitting interviews, lighthearted banter and hilarious outbursts ever since.
During Monday's special episode of Lorraine, which was dedicated to celebrating Phillip's 40 years in the TV industry, Holly thanked her This Morning co-host for helping her secure the job.
"When Fern decided to leave and discussions were starting I said, 'There's only one person. It has to be Holly.'"
Admitting she didn't know why he was "so convinced", Holly heaped praise on Phillip for being "generous, kind and patient" to her.
On how he stepped in to push for her to get the role, Holly said: "I thank you every day because I know really you were on your own with that school of thought.
"It was down to you kind of standing by that that I got that job without a doubt. Without you there is no way I would be doing This Morning today."
The pair had an interesting first day as Holly's nerves were shot to bits just seconds before going on air.
Nervous Holly looked looked like a rabbit in the headlights as the cameras went live while she tightly gripped hold of Phillip Schofield's arm.
The veteran This Morning host then pretend to storm off the set, jokingly threatening to leave Holly to present her first show on her own.
Phil explained: "Just as the titles started I said, 'Nah, I'm not doing it'."
"Come back, I'm holding on very tightly," shrieked Holly as she vigorously yanked Phillip back alongside her.
Speaking on today's Lorraine, Holly said: "I came onto that show and I was green and new. I knew how to do a bit of telly because I'd done Saturday morning so I knew the nuts and bolts.
"This Morning is a huge grown up telly show. Like a sponge I absorbed and learned everything."
Holly and Phillip were proven to work very well together after presenting Dancing on Ice for three years before they teamed up on This Morning.
Holly had a similarly terrifying experience while hosting her very first Dancing On Ice in January 2006.
"It was such a blur. It was so huge. It was primetime and I was stood next to Phillip Schofield," Holly told Heart in December 2020.
"It was terrifying. I can’t remember any of the show apart from getting through it. It was about getting through the links on autocue without messing up! It could have been so catastrophically bad.
"I haven’t watched it back for a long time. I must have watched it back at the time, over and over again. To watch it now, I’d probably cringe the whole way through it.
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