Phillip Schofield delivered a short but powerful tribute to the Queen as the end of Thursday's This Morning has viewers at home in tears.
This Morning has seen its scheduling impacted significantly by the Queen's death a week ago, with it scrapped completely on Friday as ITV delivered rolling news coverage on the events that followed. When it returned on Monday, the episode was devoted to Her Majesty's passing as Phillip and co-host Holly Willoughby paying their own tributes to the much loved monarch, as colleagues Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary were filmed looking at the many floral tributes outside Buckingham Palace and in Green Park.
The show came to an earlier than expected end as ITV cut to coverage from Edinburgh of The Queen's coffin moving from Holyrood on its way to St Giles' for a thanksgiving service, which saw her four children keep vigil by her coffin. This Morning has stayed on screen ever since, with Phillip and Holly joined by guests who'd met Her Majesty over the years, including opera singer Katherine Jenkins and legendary broadcaster Sir Trevor McDonald.
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And a song sung by Katherine closed the programme before final titles rolled and after Phillip had had the final word, as This Morning goes off the air until Tuesday, the day after the Queen's funeral.
Looking down the lens, the presenter said: "So there's just one thing left to say....thank you ma'am," in a comment that echoed Paddington's parting words to Her Majesty in the famous Jubilee sketch.
The show then cut to a series of image from the Queen's remarkable reign over the years, to a soundtrack of Katherine's version of poignant opera song, Time to Say Goodbye. The track is one that many hold dear and it immediately struck a chord with people watching at home.
One took to Twitter through tears to post: "Wasn't prepared for the ending of @thismorning - made me very emotional, Time To Say Goodbye is one of those songs that sets me off everytime. A wonderful tribute," with another equally emotional viewer reacting: "Wow @thismorning ending got me so emotional."
A third tweeted'; "Wow Catherine (sic) Jenkins singing time to say goodbye to her Majesty on @thismorning wow so emotional," alongside a teary eyed emojis.
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