A delighted Holly Willoughby had a four word message for viewers in the opening seconds of her return to This Morning as they were divided on her and Phillip Schofield being back as hosts.
It was back at the start of December that Holly and Phillip last fronted a live episode of the ITV daytime show, signing off on their festive break, which has seen then absent from the studio for a month. Given that they announced they were taking time off, it came as a surprise to viewers to see the main This Morning presenters on screen on Christmas Day and then again in the run up to New Year, but, while those shows might have seemed live, the reality was they were all pre-recorded.
Holly and Phillip's absence from This Morning, allowed a number of their colleagues to get more airtime than usual, with Alison Hammond, Dermot O'Leary, Josie Gibson, Craig Doyle and Andi Peters all getting a turn as main host. The change in personnel became a big talking point for viewers, with Josie and Craig's partnership coming in for particular praise.
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And then, when she confirmed Holly and Phillip's return at the end of Friday's programme, many fans called for Alison to get a promotion to be full-time presenter.
Holly and Philip both looked very pleased to be back as camera rolled on their first show of 2023, with Holly sharing her excitement with viewers in her opening line, telling them: "We have missed you!" adding: "There you are. Welcome to Monday's This Morning," as Phillip added: "How very lovely to see you!"
The sight of Holly and Phillip back in the studio sparked a big and very divided reaction online. with some fans happy to see them back, while others gave a strong indication they'd rather they stayed away. One critic sarcastically quipped: "Hallelujah - Phil and Holly finally back LIVE having been away from the studio for over a MONTH. Surely the longest Christmas Holiday ever????"
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