Viewers tuning in to ITV’s This Morning on Monday, December 12 may be surprised to see that usual Monday to Thursday presenters, Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, are not on the show. Instead, Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond will take their place on the sofa this week.
2022 has been a somewhat controversial year for Phillip and Holly after they found themselves at the centre of a scandal, queuing to see the late Queen Elizabeth lying in state. During the National Television Awards this year, the presenting duo were even booed by audiences. You can read more about that here.
But there is a perfectly simple explanation for their absence from the show this week. After hosting last Friday’s This Morning, Phillip and Holly confirmed that they’d be taking a two-week break and will next be on our screens for a special Christmas Day edition of the popular daytime show. Dermot and Alison will host the show until then.
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Making the announcement on Friday, December 9, Holly said: “We are off for a little bit of a break now but we look forward to seeing you on Christmas Day,” before teasing that Basil Brush and Alan Titchmarsh would be appearing this week.
After they revealed the news, viewers shared their thoughts on social media. One person wrote: "Presumably these two are finishing early because they want to beat the Christmas shopping queues. Nothing new there. #ThisMorning."
A second person typed: "why do they get to finish for Christmas on the NINTH December, seriously wouldn't kill them to work until the 22nd or 23rd like the rest of us, they are never in! #ThisMorning."
A third similarly said: "I take it this is Holly and Phil's last episode of the year on the 9th December #ThisMorning." A fourth also commented: "The jealousy on this # is hilarious. Yes, they're finished for the holidays after today, like every year! #thismorning."
This Morning airs on ITV on weekdays at 10am. For more showbiz and television stories get our newsletter here.
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