Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield had long shared space on the This Morning sofa together, yet recently, their relationship has appeared to grow distant.
Phillip recently disclosed his affair with a 20-year-old PA, which was described by him as being ‘unwise but not illegal.” Nevertheless, he denies any issues between himself and co-host Holly.
What is the relationship between Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield?
Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield are one of Britain’s best loved TV duos, renowned for their strong on-screen chemistry and amicable banter. Off-screen, however, these close friends even describe each other as “like family”.
But in recent weeks there have been reports that Holly and Phil have grown distant, with reports suggesting they “barely speak” off-camera. This speculation was further confirmed last week when Phil interrupted Holly when she interviewed a victim of the Bali bombings; Holly visibly frowned while pursed her lips to express her displeasure with being interrupted during an interview session with said victim.
Since then, viewers have noticed that Holly has begun to remove Phil from her social media accounts. Her Twitter bio used to feature a photo of them together along with a tag reading ‘Twitter legend,’ however this feature has since been removed.
Holly was left devastated after hearing Phil admit to lying to her about his relationship with a younger colleague at ITV. Critics also criticised Holly for failing to come forward when the allegations first arose, which should have happened years earlier.
Phil and Holly have co-hosted This Morning together for 14 years, but their success reportedly caused strain between them. This may have been compounded by a joint magazine cover in 2019 proclaiming Holly to be “Queen of TV,” suggesting she has overtaken Phil as co-host of This Morning.
Why did Schofield resign from This Morning?
As ITV’s flagship morning show This Morning returned to screens Monday, host Holly Willoughby remarked that she and co-host Phillip Schofield had been taken aback by some of the headlines this week. While speaking in front of cameras they made no reference to headlines suggesting Phillip Schofield had hired lawyers and threatened to quit over some allegations that were reported in some papers.
Schofield and her co-presenter have faced intense backlash since Schofield admitted his affair with a junior presenter during an interview last week, admitting he had an affair with but denied grooming him for it; according to reports, Schofield was so devastated by this revelation that he briefly considered suicide.
He described himself as being “utterly broken” and felt ashamed, yet assured fans he would continue working for the program. In response to reports of tension between Willoughby and himself, he noted they had always been great friends; in addition, he did not know she was even considering leaving the show.
Sources have reported that Holly and Schofield have lessened their friendship and don’t speak as often off camera. Holly may also be reconsidering her place on the show following this scandal and may feel it has damaged it further. ITV have been asked by lawmakers to explain why they failed to investigate internal reports alleging an affair between Schofield and a young employee; they deny these claims.
What is the relationship between Schofield and Willoughby?
Recently, Holly and Phil have been subjected to intense speculation surrounding an apparent split. Reports state that Holly was angry that Phil kept her informed of Timothy’s trial for child sex charges; later found guilty by the courts and scheduled for sentencing next week. Fans also noticed key clues that things weren’t going well between them when Holly removed a mention of Phil from her Twitter bio.
These two have been working together for 17 years since meeting on Dancing on Ice in 2006. Quickly becoming friends, their chemistry was undeniable. Cracking up at all the inappropriate moments on air and keeping viewers laughing with witty banter were hallmarks of success in their partnership; even appearing together as co-cover models on magazine covers with crowns placed atop them!
But sources close to them say tensions have escalated to such an extent that they’re now barely communicating off-camera, while Holly has revealed she fears being replaced on the show and may soon make the decision of who stays behind-the-scenes in an effort to restore peace on set. A source has stated: “Holly and Phil feel one of their teams are trying to undermine them – soon, the pair may need to decide who remains behind-the-scenes.”
What is the relationship between Schofield and his brother Tim?
Holly and Phil appear close, sharing frequent posts showing them together. In June 2019, Holly posted an emotional tribute to Phil on Father’s Day; alongside a picture showing them both smiling. Holly wrote this note of thanks: ‘Happy Fathers Day to my bestie & the person who taught me how to be me; Thank you for everything you’ve done – You’re my hero’
Early this year, ITV released an Instagram video featuring Holly and Phil queue-jumping at a supermarket for filming This Morning. The post went viral, sparking controversy from viewers; Holly and Phil addressed it during one episode of their show.
ITV defended the couple when allegations surfaced of mocking a disabled woman during a segment about Queen Elizabeth’s state visit to Ireland, and even addressed it directly during one episode of their show the following week.
Tim Schofield and Tim Schofield’s relationship appears to have begun after his brother was charged with child sexual exploitation, leading him to plead not guilty in all 11 charges against him and be sacked from Avon and Somerset Police as a civilian police worker from Bath.