During a TalkTV debate, Vanessa Feltz was left defending her former This Morning co-star Holly Willoughby.
Holly, 42, who has been anchoring the ITV daytime programme alongside Alison Hammond and Josie Gibson since Phillip Schofield‘s retirement earlier this year, announced her resignation from This Morning on Instagram on Tuesday with a message.
‘I have let ITV know today that after 14 years, I will not be returning to This Morning,’ she began.
She went on to say that it was a “difficult goodbye” and that she was making the decision for her own and her family’s sake.
Her departure inspired love and support from her ITV co-stars, with Susanna Reid and Alison Hammond among those wishing her well, while Vanessa has now defended her popularity.
Vanessa, 61, said ITV was ‘desperate to keep’ Holly in a dispute with celebrity analyst JJ Anisiobi on her TalkTV show.
JJ said: ‘If I’m honest, I think ever since Queue-Gate last year, I’m not sure the audience has been in tune with Holly.’
He went on: ‘Certainly after what happened with Phillip Schofield and his scandal and the way that played out, I think for many viewers perhaps they think it was time both Holly and Phil left the show.’
However, Vanessa wasn’t impressed, calling his comments ‘strange’.
She said: ‘Obviously Holly had just signed a brand new contract to do at least two more years on the show and the show was desperate to keep her.
‘She was very keen to present it and she was going to be the main anchor with various other co-anchors coming and going, but she was going to be the main force of the show.’
She added: ‘If she hadn’t been popular, they wouldn’t have been so keen to have her as the main anchor of the programme.’
When JJ mentioned the boos Holly and This Morning faced at the National Television Awards, Vanessa hit back: ‘Well I was right behind her and I didn’t hear any boos from the audience!’
JJ replied: ‘Well, I heard the boos in the audience and people watching at home watched the boos.’
He went on to insist that he wasn’t ‘attacking Holly Willoughby personally’ but thought it was ‘the right time for her to go’.
‘I don’t believe for a second she’ll stay off television,’ JJ added, saying he thinks she’ll return but it’s time for her to ‘move on’ from daytime.
Vanessa continued: ‘I think her star shines as brightly as it ever did. She’s in high demand. The BBC are always trying to poach her, everyone is always trying to poach her.
‘I think she’s unbelievably good at what she does and people really identify with her and love to watch her.’
She added: ‘She’s a pleasure to know on-screen and off-screen as well.’
Following Holly announcing her This Morning departure on Instagram, Vanessa echoed the This Morning team as they shared their support, writing: ‘We will miss you so very much darling.’
Kevin Lygo, managing director of media and entertainment at ITV, said in a statement: ‘We are sad that Holly is leaving This Morning, but respect her decision which we know will have been extremely difficult for her to make.
‘Holly is one of the best-loved, respected and most accomplished broadcasters in the UK.’
He continued: ‘She has been at the heart of This Morning for the past 14 years, and she is adored by our viewers.
‘Holly has brought her unique brand of warmth, energy, humour and fun to one of the country’s most popular daytime shows, and everyone on the programme will miss her enormously.’
This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV, while Vanessa Feltz is on TalkTV from 4pm to 7pm.
Source My Celebrity Life.