Holly Willoughby has returned to This Morning today for the first time since Phillip Schofield revealed he would be stepping down from ITV and the breakfast show.
Willoughby has been on a two-week half term break, which she began early after the news Schofield would be stepping down from This Morning amid an alleged off-air rift between the pair.
He then exited from ITV on Friday, May 26 after he revealed he'd had an affair with a younger male colleague.
Willougby, 42, returned to the ITV breakfast show this morning, hosting alongside media personality and former Big Brother winner Josie Gibson.
Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary have been the main hosts of This Morning for the past two weeks since the Schofield announcement.
What did Holly Willoughby say upon returning to This Morning?
Returning to This Morning for the first time in two weeks, Willougby began the show by addressing the Phillip Schofield drama.
She said: "Are you ok? I hope so. Feels very strange indeed sitting here without Phil. I imagine that you might be feeling a lot like I have - shaken, troubled, let down, worried about 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 that they had to resign from ITV and step down from a career that they loved, that is a lot to process.
A message to you, from Holly. pic.twitter.com/TwiqxbSwSn
— This Morning (@thismorning) June 5, 2023
"And it is equally as hard to see the toll it has taken on their own mental health.
"I think what unites us all now is a desire to heal, for the health and wellbeing of everyone.
"I hope that as we start this new chapter, we get back to a place of warmth and magic that this show holds for all of us, we can find strength in each other.
"And from my heart can I just say thank you for all of your kind messages and thank you for being here this morning.
"Myself, Josie, Dermot, Alison, Craig and every single person that works on the show will continue to work hard every day to bring you the show that we love."
Phillips Schofield and Holly Willoughby no longer speaking
Schofield said last week he and his former This Morning co-host were no longer speaking.
In an interview with The Sun, Schofield revealed he had not heard from Willoughby since sending her an apology message following the news about the affair and said she knew nothing about it.
He said: "I’ve lost my best friend. I let her (Holly) down. I let that entire show (This Morning) down. I let the viewers down.
“Holly did not know (about the romance). And she was one of the first texts that I sent, to say, ‘I am so, so sorry that I lied to you’.
“She didn’t reply and I understand why she didn’t reply, as well.
"So yeah. If anyone is in any way linking Holly to this; that is absolutely, wholly untrue.
“I had no feud with Holly. She is my TV sister. But quite rightly, when I am in the middle of a s**t show with bad press over something where I have done nothing wrong — in fact, I did everything right — it’s a witch hunt. And that strips that (friendship) away."
Is Holly Willougby leaving This Morning?
The Mirror reported over the weekend that Willoughby is "in talks" to leave ITV and join rival broadcaster the BBC.
Holly Willoughby has presented the popular morning programme alongside Phillip Schofield since 2009.
An inside source speaking to The Mirror said: "Holly has had a good relationship and an open dialogue with BBC bosses since she hosted Freeze the Fear.
“Ever since then they have been keen to sign her up for another project and have bent over backwards to offer her other opportunities.
“So the ongoing drama at ITV has played into their hands.
“The bosses have had conversations this week about what they could offer her going forward.
“And one executive reached out to her directly earlier in the week."
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