Holly Willoughby returned to This Morning today (Monday, June 5) and issued a statement about the ongoing scandal.
She had previously been enjoying some time away from the limelight – and the furore surrounding the ITV show.
Holly returns to This Morning
Today Holly was joined by co-presenter Josie Gibson, as she read out a statement about her former colleague and best friend.
“Feels very strange indeed sitting here without Phil,” she confessed, before adding: “Shaken. Troubled. Let down. Worried for the wellbeing of people on all sides of what’s been going on. And full of questions.
“You, me and all of us at This Morning gave our love and support to someone who was not telling the truth. Who acted in a way that they themselves felt as though they had to resign from ITV and step down from a career that they loved. That is a lot to process.”
Some This Morning fans call for Holly to be axed
Many viewers, however, were not happy with Holly’s statement, with a significant number calling for her to be axed.
“What a good friend she is! She needs to go. So disappointed in you @hollywills,” one sarcastic fan wrote. “She can go,” another said.
“Holly should leave she is really selfish, calculating and heartless. All fake,” a third alleged. “Time for the fake Holly Willoughby to go. Let Josie take the helm. We’ve all had enough of you Holly.”
However, Holly had many supporters, too, with one commenting: “Well done Holly, I’m proud of you and welcome back! I’ve missed your beautiful empathetic manner.”
Eamonn Holmes predicted Holly wouldn’t return
Last week, amidst fierce backlash from viewers, former This Morning colleague Eamonn Holmes had predicted she wouldn’t be back.
“I don’t think you’ll ever see Holly back on the couch again,” he said.
“It’s not about protecting the young fella involved, it’s about brand protection with her, her company, and advertising deals which looks like she’s distancing herself to protect herself.”
Eamonn made the claims during a bombshell interview on GB News with Dan Wootton, in which he also claimed Holly’s friendship with Alison Hammond had only developed recently amid the developing crisis.
Since Schofield revealed he’d enjoyed an ‘unwise’ relationship with a much younger colleague on This Morning, some viewers have turned on Holly – accusing her of knowing.
Others have accused her of throwing her former best friend and co-star under the bus by abandoning him as his career – and life – tumbled into free fall.
The presenter hit back after news of Schofield’s affair first emerged, with a statement claiming she had been lied to and learning the truth had been hurtful.
Holly Willoughby ‘was worried for her kids over This Morning scandal’
She was also reportedly anxious about the impact of the headlines surrounding the scandal on her children.
A source told Closer: “She was already devastated from the fallout with Phil and how everything transpired, so to now have the negative spotlight turned around on her is doubly heartbreaking, not to mention for her kids too.
“Holly’s children are older now and are at an age where they read things online and fully understand what’s going on.”
Further, Holly was allegedly worried about her kids “hearing things at school about their mum and being questioned by friends”.
This Morning airs on weekdays from 10am on ITV1 and ITVX.
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