Holly Willoughby will not be returning to Monday’s This Morning, after Phillip Schofield presented final show on Thursday.
Phil, 61, announced he was stepping back, saying: ‘I have always been proud to cover fascinating stories on This Morning.
But recently, This Morning itself has become the story.
‘Throughout my career in TV – including the very difficult last few days – I have always done my best to be honourable and kind.
‘I understand that ITV has decided the current situation can’t go on, and I want to do what I can to protect the show that I love.
‘So I have agreed to step down from This Morning with immediate effect, in the hope that the show can move forward to a bright future.’
Meanwhile, Holly, 41, will present the show alone in the future, alongside other members of the This Morning team, like Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary who present the Friday edition of the programme.
However, it has now been revealed that Holly will not be returning to This Morning on Monday.
Holly has thanked her outgoing co-star Phillip Schofield for ’13 great years presenting’ after he announced he was leaving This Morning with immediate effect following a reported feud between the pair.
In a short statement after Schofield announced his departure, Willoughby thanked her former colleague for ‘all of his knowledge, his experience and his humour.’ She added: ‘The sofa won’t feel the same without him.’
However, Metro.co.uk reports that the broadcaster said she will take a break during the halftime, returning on Monday 5 June.
The broadcaster will announce who will be hosting the programme in due course, Metro.co.uk understands.
Phil’s departure comes after it was reported they were ‘barely speaking’ behind-the-scenes and that their relationship had ‘cooled’.
While they have continued putting on a united front on the This Morning sofa, and Phil recently insisted they are ‘still the best of friends‘, rumours have continued swirling, with reports escalating to claims that Phil is ‘refusing to quit This Morning’, as one source called the situation a ‘runaway train that cannot be stopped’.
Meanwhile, a recent insider alleged that Holly contemplated quitting the programme, saying that ‘by removing herself from the situation she could protect herself better’.
