Holly Willoughby has broken her social media silence after Phillip Schofield’s bombshell interview by sharing a fresh-faced selfie from her holiday in Portugal.
Shortly after Schofield admitted to sending her a text begging for forgiveness, Willoughby’s Instagram account, managed by her social media team, posted a nonchalant update about haircare.
The Wylde Moon account, which represents Holly’s wellness blog, featured a makeup-free selfie of Holly with wet hair, exuding confidence as she gazed into the camera lens.
The post made no mention of her supposed feud with Schofield, instead offering tips on maintaining healthy hair throughout the summer.
This marks the first appearance of a picture of Willoughby, who is currently in Portugal, on the Wylde Moon Instagram account in six days. She is expected to return to This Morning on Monday.
Schofield’s revelations about their relationship have led to allegations of toxicity surrounding This Morning, affecting Willoughby’s standing as well.
The show has experienced guest cancellations, and its main sponsor, Arnold Clark, has confirmed it will not renew its multi-million-pound deal with the channel in the coming months.
Nevertheless, Holly Willoughby is determined to hold onto her position on the This Morning sofa and hopes to weather the ongoing scandal involving Schofield, which has caused a crisis for ITV, according to a source.
Concerns have arisen that more advertisers will withdraw their support for the program, with one insider stating that “brands do not feel ITV is a safe bet at the moment.”
However, a friend of Willoughby’s expressed her confidence, stating that the star “has nothing to hide” from the ongoing ITV investigation.
While on holiday in Portugal, Willoughby learned that Jane Mulcahy KC of Blackstone Chambers would conduct an external review to establish the facts surrounding the controversy.
A source revealed, “Holly will, of course, 100% cooperate with the inquiry should she be asked, as she has nothing to hide whatsoever. She has made it crystal clear that Phil lied to her about his relationship with the runner and is relaxed about providing her version of events.”
Schofield claimed that their friendship deteriorated after his brother was imprisoned, causing her to distance herself. He stepped down from his role on This Morning shortly after his brother, Timothy Schofield, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for multiple child sex offences.
The 54-year-old Schofield was convicted of 11 sexual offences involving a child between October 2016 and October 2019. These included two counts of sexual activity with a child.
During the revealing interview, Schofield acknowledged that Willoughby had been one of the first people he confided in after his brother’s confession about his heinous behaviour.
He expressed gratitude for her unwavering support throughout the trial, stating that she “held [his] hand every step of the way.”
Last Friday, Schofield admitted that he had lied to ITV, his co-host, his agency YMU, and his lawyers regarding his relationship with a much younger colleague.
This revelation prompted ITV to initiate an external investigation into the matter, following claims from former employees that the station’s management must have been aware of their romance.
Schofield has since vehemently denied grooming the young boy, whom he met when the latter was 15 years old.
The individual later asked Schofield for a job and joined an ITV production team upon turning 18. Their affair commenced sometime after that.
