Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby co-hosted This Morning for fourteen years, but Schofield has left the program and ITV following his admission of an affair with a younger colleague.
Holly Willoughby stated that she felt “let down” as she made her first appearance on This Morning since her former co-host Phillip Schofield resigned over an “unwise, but not illegal” relationship with a younger man.
As she returned to screens after a two-week absence, she expressed feeling “shaken, troubled, and disappointed” and “worried for the well-being of people on both sides of what’s been happening.”
“We have given our love and support to someone who is not telling the truth,” she continued.
Schofield, 61, resigned from ITV last month over the affair and has since maintained he “did not” groom the man, who also worked on the show and was 20 years old when their relationship began, even though he was involved with him.
Willoughby began Monday’s broadcast by delivering an impassioned statement directly to the camera while holding hands with co-host Josie Gibson.
“Right, take a deep breath,” said the 42-year-old. “It feels very strange to be sitting here without Phil.”
She acknowledged that viewers would be “full of questions,” adding, “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 such a manner that they felt compelled to resign from ITV and step down from a career they loved. This is a lot to take in.”
While she did not mention Schofield by name again. She directed one more point at him, saying, “And it’s equally difficult to see how it’s affected their mental health. I believe that what unites us now is a desire to recover for everyone’s health and well-being.”
In anticipation of a “new chapter” for the program, she expressed the hope that “we can find strength in each other” and thanked viewers “from the bottom of my heart” for their support.
Gibson then hugged her and said, “All we can do now is be the family that we are.”
Willoughby also mentioned other This Morning team member, Dermot O’Leary, Alison Hammond. And Craig Doyle, who is believed to be co-hosting with her on Tuesday.
Willoughby returned after accusing her former co-host of lying about his affair.
In a statement released last week, she said, “When rumors of this relationship first surfaced, I asked Phil directly if it was true, and he told me that it was not.”
It has been extremely painful to learn that this was a lie.
The High Court after Willoughby’s statement, Jonathan Coad, Schofield’s attorney, characterized the recent media attention surrounding the presenter and his departure from the show and clarified his role in representing Schofield.
Mr. Coad stated, “My duty was quite straightforward: to spread the truth on Phillip’s behalf. I know Phillip has been misrepresented in the media because I have all the facts.
“Therefore, getting the truth out and eliminating as much false information as possible is the extent of it.”
He also stated that he had messaged his former co-host since his departure, but she had not responded.
In response to a workplace query, Mr. Frizell spoke cryptically about aubergines before identifying the program’s guests and hosts.
Schofield’s encounter occurred before his 2020 public coming out as gay.
When asked by ITV in early 2020 about the allegations, he denied having a romantic relationship with a colleague.
ITV has since declared a barrister-led external investigation into the scandal.
