Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have seemingly revived the Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield queuegate scandal with a cheeky warning about television presenters skipping queues.
The pair made the gag on their latest Hanging Out podcast while discussing a planned British Museum visit. It appeared to allude to Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield’s 2022 queuegate controversy.
The conversation began with the Bayeux Tapestry, which the duo hoped to see during its UK display. They expected the attraction to be busy. That prompted Ant’s mischievous request.
Ant and Dec joke about TV presenters skipping queues
Ant asked if museum staff could help, saying: “I’d like to jump the queue.”
Declan immediately warned: “I’m not sure about TV presenters skipping queues. I don’t think that’s going to end well!”
Ant pushed the joke further: “What could possibly go wrong? It’s just scuttle down the side, pop in the front.”
Dec then sarcastically suggested nobody would say anything about it.
Ant asked Dec to join him, but his co-host said he would have to go alone. The pair did not name Holly or Phillip during the exchange.
Still, their references to television presenters and queues appeared to point towards the former This Morning duo.
ED! has contacted representatives for Ant and Dec for comment.
Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield’s queuegate row
In September 2022, Holly and Phillip attended Westminster Hall while working on a report for This Morning.
They were accused of bypassing a public queue lasting around 13 hours to see the late Queen Elizabeth II lying in state. However, they said they were there solely for reporting work.
ITV stated they were among broadcasters covering the queen’s death. The broadcaster denied they had VIP access, jumped the queue or filed past the coffin.
Yet anger gathered quickly. A petition seeking their dismissal from This Morning attracted more than 50,000 signatures.
On This Morning, a voiceover from the pair repeated that they had never jumped a queue. The explanation did not include an apology, and criticism continued.
What Phillip Schofield later said about queue-gate
Speaking to The Sun in 2023, Phillip said he had believed the decision was a mistake.
He recalled exchanging texts with Holly after the visit and said the public reaction left them “shell-shocked”. Phillip said the lasting problem involved two British sensitivities: the queen and a queue.
He also suggested everyday queue jokes continued to follow him.
Phillip and Holly’s departures from This Morning
Phillip stepped down from This Morning in May 2023. He has since taken a step back from TV.
He later admitted an affair with a younger male colleague, calling it “unwise but not illegal”.
Holly stayed on This Morning for several more months, before leaving later in 2023.
Her departure came after details emerged of a kidnap and murder plot targeting her.
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