Amidst ongoing turmoil surrounding This Morning and its hosts, Holly Willoughby has reportedly made the painful decision to sever ties with Phillip Schofield, marking an end to their friendship.
Speculation has been swirling for weeks about the state of the relationship between the co-presenters, and a recent report suggests that Holly, 42, has officially closed the door on her friendship with the 61-year-old Phil.
The shocking revelation comes after Phil broke ranks and acknowledged the existing friction between the two, blindsiding Holly in the process.
This decision follows months of mounting tension between the duo, with incidents such as queue-skipping during the late Queen’s lying-in-state, Phil taking time off from the show while his brother faced trial for sex crimes, and Holly’s absence upon Phil’s return to screens.
According to The Mail on Sunday, Holly has definitively cut ties with Phil.
An inside source revealed, “Don’t be surprised if you never see them together again, apart from on camera. This has all been so heartbreaking for Holly, but she knows she has to stand on her own two feet and cut the strings. Nobody ever thought it would end like this. They were part of one another’s families, and they spent a lot of their weekends socialising. She has tried so hard.”
In addition to the news of Holly cutting ties with Phil, The Mail on Sunday claims that Holly might not appear on This Morning on Monday due to her emotional state over the end of their friendship and the public’s growing dissatisfaction with Phil remaining on the show.
The report suggests that Phil’s contract might not be renewed when it expires in September, which could potentially lead to his departure from the show when they break for the summer in July.
Furthermore, there are rumours circulating that Alison Hammond will replace Phil as Holly’s new co-host, leading to a female-fronted presenting lineup.
Holly and Alison have previously hosted This Morning together in Phil’s absence, fuelling speculation about potential changes in the presenting lineup.
Back in February, insiders revealed that ITV bosses were considering a shake-up in the presenting lineup, with Alison being tipped as a possible replacement for Phil.
A source at the time stated, “ITV bosses are clear they want Holly to return to This Morning next year. But while a question mark hangs over her future, there have been conversations about who could step in if she decided to go. Top of that list is Alison. She has gone from being seen as a safe pair of hands to a real asset to the channel.”
If Holly were to depart, it is unlikely that she would be replaced by a single individual, as there would be trials of various combinations, similar to the approach taken after Piers Morgan’s departure from Good Morning Britain.
Other names mentioned in connection with the show include Kate Garraway and even Ed Balls, following his successful stint on GMB.
