Holly Willoughby has made her comeback to This Morning, becoming tearful as she talked frankly on camera for the first time about Phillip Schofield‘s departure from the ITV show.
The 42-year-old hasn’t been on the show since Thursday, May 18, when Schofield’s farewell episode as co-host aired.
Shortly after, he announced his resignation, before confessing that he lied about having an affair with a younger runner, keeping the truth from his supervisors, coworkers, family, and friends.
Willoughby’s return was originally announced by Lorraine Kelly, who informed viewers that the host will be joined by Josie Gibson.
‘Holly has returned and is with Josie,’ Kelly added, as Willoughby replied cheerfully, ‘Nice to see you Lorraine, thank you.’
The broadcast began with Willoughby addressing straight to the camera, her eyes welling up as she gripped Gibson’s hand and thanked her for being there.
‘Hit here, good morning. Josie, thank you for being here. Right, deep breath. Firstly, are you ok? I hope so. It feels very strange indeed sitting here without Phil.’
She continued: ‘I imagine that you might have been feeling a lot like I have – shaken, troubled, let down, worried for 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.’
The TV host said that it’s ‘equally hard to see the toll that it’s taken on their own mental health’, after Schofield said in an interview with the BBC that he understood how the late Caroline Flack felt before she took her own life.
As Willoughby continued speaking, her eyes welled up with tears as she told viewers: ‘I think what unites us all now is a desire to heal, for the health and wellbeing of everyone.
‘I hope that we start this new chapter and get back to a place of warmth and magic that this show holds for all of us, we can find strength in each other.’
The Dancing On Ice host thanked the public for their words of support by placing her hands on her breast.
‘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 this show will continue to work hard every single day to bring you this show that we love,’ she said.
‘So on that note…’ she continued, turning to Gibson beside her.
Holly Willoughby‘s statement in full as she returns to This Morning after Phillip Schofield exit
‘Hi here, good morning. Josie, thank you for being here. Right, deep breath. Firstly, are you ok? I hope so. It feels very strange indeed sitting here without Phil.
‘I imagine that you might have been feeling a lot like I have – shaken, troubled, let down, worried for 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, and it’s equally hard to see the toll that it’s 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 we start this new chapter and get back to a place of warmth and magic that this show holds for all of us, we can find strength in each other.
‘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 this show will continue to work hard every single day to bring you this show that we love.’
Having been holding hands, Gibson pulled Willoughby in for a tight hug, as the latter thanked her for the ‘Josie cuddle’.
‘All we can do now is be the family that we are,’ Gibson added, before the pair kickstarted the rest of the programme.
Willoughby published a statement when Schofield’s departure was initially reported, stating that the sofa in the studio wouldn’t ‘feel the same’ without him.
Schofield expressed ‘anger’ at being misled to once the confirmation of her covert connection was revealed.
Writing on her Instagram Story, the TV personality said: ‘It’s taken time to process yesterday’s news. When reports of this relationship first surfaced, I asked Phil directly if this was true and was told it was not.
‘It’s been very hurtful to now find out that this was a lie. Holly.’
Willoughby returned to This Morning with co-host Josie Gibson after an extended half-term break, and she will be joined later in the week by Craig Doyle.
It was reported before of Monday’s broadcast that Schofield would not be watching.
‘Of course he is aware Holly is back on air today and he absolutely wanted her to shine, and smash it,’ a source told The Sun.
‘But he physically could not watch — he is not there yet.’
This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV.
Source My Celebrity Life.
