The last thing producers want surrounding their biggest family-friendly TV show is even a whiff of scandal, but it’s been hovering over This Morning for months now.
Last week, presenter Phillip Schofield arrived back on the sofa, after several weeks off dealing with a personal crisis – his brother’s trial and subsequent conviction for sexual abuse. But his co-host Holly Willoughby wasn’t there to welcome him back, instead calling in sick for “the rest of the week”. It left the show in crisis as viewers speculated about whether she’d be back at all, and others called for Phil to be replaced for good.
“Holly felt really guilty that she wasn’t there by Phillip’s side for his big return,” says an insider close to the 42-year-old mum of three, who has fronted the popular show alongside Phil since 2009.
“He’s been through a lot and there were concerns he might be coming back too soon. The producers asked Holly to keep an eye on him and be extra-supportive through it all, and she feels like she let everyone down by not being there. She doesn’t want it to look like she’s deserted anyone in their time of need, especially after she and Phil have been through so much together. At the same time, her team thought it worked out well for them to have some time apart, so Holly didn’t get tainted by the murky scandal.”
Phil, 61, instead returned from his three-week hiatus with Rochelle Humes rather than Holly joining him in co-presenting duties. He thanked viewers for their “kind messages of support”, adding, “It’s really lovely to be back. I have missed the show and I have missed you.”
The reason for his leave of absence was shocking – his younger brother, Timothy, 54, was on trial for sexually abusing a teenage boy and was found guilty on all 11 counts. After the verdict, Phillip released a statement condemning the “despicable crimes”, saying, “I no longer have a brother.”
During his time off, presenters were brought in to cover Phil, including Joel Dommett, Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond, with bosses insisting Holly would be ready and waiting for her friend’s return. Instead, she was MIA all week due to shingles – the chickenpox virus, which can be brought on by stress.
Addressing her absence, Dancing On Ice star Holly wrote on Instagram, “I may be away for the rest of the week as I have shingles... I’ll be back as soon as I’m better.”
But viewers weren’t convinced by the timing. One tweeted, “Call me cynical, but I think we have seen the last of the Phil and Holly duo.” Another said archly, “Oh look, Phil’s back, no Holly, though.” A third speculated, “Holly has shingles… translates to her lawyers saying, ‘Say you are ill’.”
And many had praised the replacement stars while Phillip was away, particularly Alison, with one headline screaming, “Holly Willoughby and Alison Hammond prove to be a dream team on This Morning”. Another asked, “Phil who?????? While Schofield was away, Holly Willoughby and Alison Hammond teamed up to host This Morning, and ITV bosses LOVED the partnership.”
Journalist Dan Wootton also jumped on the bandwagon, with a piece headlined, “Why do ITV persist with the loathsome Phillip Schofield when they have the adorable and talented Alison Hammond waiting in the wings?” He went on to further criticise Phil, adding that some presenters “don’t have a good word to say about the bloke… I know, by the way, because I was one of Phil’s colleagues at ITV Daytime for more than a decade.” He went on, “Give Alison the top job or risk losing her to the BBC and Channel 4, who recently signed the host to front the Baftas and Great British Bake Off.”
heat’s insider continues, “The truth is producers have been toying with the idea of a shake-up and bringing in new faces. Everyone’s been panicking about how the audience would react to Phil returning. So much of his and Holly’s winning charm is about lightness and laughter, but there’s no getting away from the very dark headlines. ITV bosses are hoping none of this damages their presenting formula, but there’s no denying it’s a stressful time.”
The latest scandal follows on from last September’s Queuegate, when Holly and Phil found themselves in hot water after they came under fire for using the VIP line to see the late Queen lying in state, with their popularity as a presenting duo taking a dive.
But, we’re told, despite the negativity, Holly’s determined they can prove themselves. “Of course she wanted to be there with Phil,” says the source. “She wants to get them back on top and remind everyone why they’re the flagship presenters for ITV. She’s got a big job ahead of her, but she’s a consummate professional and has vowed to do everything she can to steer the ship safely through these rocky waters.”