Holly Willoughby feels ‘trapped’ by the spiralling This Morning crisis involving her one-time best friend Phillip Schofield - and has contemplated quitting the show, a source has told.
The 42-year-old ITV host saw the furore around her and Phil, 61, escalate over the weekend. She is said to “love” her work and doesn’t want to leave, but is struggling to cope with the situation.
“By removing herself from the situation she could protect herself better,” claims the source.
Meanwhile Phil, who recently disowned his brother Timothy Schofield in the wake of his conviction of child sexual abuse offences, for which he will be sentenced on Friday, appeared alongside his co-host as usual on Monday and today.
Some viewers commented on their seemingly strained body language. “It is so awkward and uncomfortable to watch, from the lack of dynamic or co-operation of both Holly and Phil, to the blatant discomfort of the guests on the show,” tweeted one. Another wrote: “Holly and Phil looking very uncomfortable on This Morning. Cut the atmosphere with a knife. She can’t even look at him.”
Notably, the show’s regular newspaper review slot on Monday morning was cut short and papers carrying the Phil and Holly feud story on the front pages weren’t shown.
“Holly is sick of being lied to,” claims the source. “She feels trapped. She knows she could easily find another job at a different channel, so it’s up to ITV to give her assurances that she’ll be taken care of if she stays put.”
Producers might be forced to act if viewers start switching off in their droves. According to official figures, Monday’s episode had an average of 726,720 people watching, a drop of 170,000 compared to the previous Monday’s 894,000 viewers.
Neither host has addressed the ‘feud’ on air, but Phil did release an eyebrow-raising statement late last week stating the past few weeks “haven’t been easy” for either of them. “As I have said before, Holly is my rock,” he said in the release - which wasn’t co-signed by Holly. “We’re the best of friends - as always, she is an incredible support on screen, behind the scenes and on the phone. Holly has always been there for me, through thick and thin. And I’ve been there for her.”
Phil originally convinced bosses to hire Holly when they had doubts over her hard news skills, she admitted in 2021. “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…’” she said at the time.
“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.’”
The pair have presented This Morning together since 2009, and before that Phil hosted alongside Fern Britton, who quit after the pair had a blazing row backstage.
In his autobiography, Life Is What You Make It, Phil said their 2009 row over the content of a show was the final nail in the coffin of their professional relationship - after she accused him of “meddling”.
“I walked back into the make-up room and calmly said, ‘Please don’t do that to me again,’” he wrote. “I think, for whatever reason, that was the point Fern decided she didn’t want to do This Morning any more.”
This Morning has been contacted for comment.
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