Loose Women viewers were dissatisfied with the show’s presenting team when they failed to include ex-This Morning presenter Phillip Schofield in the show’s opening teaser.
For the bank holiday extended episode, Ruth Langsford led the midday debate programme after ITV’s This Morning, which was anchored today by Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond.
Ruth was a previous This Morning presenter herself, and she was the show’s longest-serving host when she retired in 2022.
During the opening few minutes of the show, viewers flocked to Twitter to complain about the lack of commentary on Phillip’s recent departure from the channel’s breakfast segment.
The 61-year-old presenter resigned from his position and acknowledged to having an affair with a younger colleague.
One viewer penned: ‘@loosewomen @ITV NOT addressing the current situation with your ex colleague makes you look like cowards. If this had of been another celebrity (not associated with itv) I guarantee you would’ve been talking about it [sic].’
@loosewomen @ITV NOT addressing the current situation with your ex colleague makes you look like cowards. If this had of been another celebrity (not associated with itv) I guarantee you would’ve been talking about it.
— Stephen ‘Murf’ Murtha ©️ (@MurthaOfficial) May 29, 2023
Another speculated: ‘“We got an extra 15 minutes. What on earth can we do? What can we talk about?” Im sure they can find something to discuss #LooseWomen [sic].’
‘There’s something really unsettling about This Morning and Loose Women continuing as if nothings happened [sic],’ a Twitter user commented.
Ruth’s attendance on the panel discussion follows her husband Eamonn Holmes’s contentious tweet earlier today, in which he expressed his opinions on Phillip’s comments.
‘Schofield has now issued a delusory statement,’ tweeted the GB News presenter on Twitter. Like Holly, he posts it on Instagram Stories so that if something goes wrong, there is no trace after 24 hours.
“We got an extra 15 minutes. What on earth can we do? What can we talk about?” Im sure they can find something to discuss #LooseWomen pic.twitter.com/d9xXT0qt7D
— Leanne Thomas (@leeleeCThomas) May 29, 2023
‘I’m reluctant to give the liar any more publicity but believe me Pip if u r looking for a fight , u have picked on the wrong person ! [sic].’
Eamonn’s laden comments came as a response to the former TV presenter’s post on Instagram that read: ‘Now I no longer work on This Morning I am free to say this. I hope you’ve observed that the folks who have a vendetta against me or the programme always tend to have the loudest voice.
‘This Morning IS the best show to work on, with the best people. In all the years I worked there there was no toxicity. You can listen to those persistently loud voices if you like.
‘But the thousands of guests over the years, thousands of staff and crew, hundreds of presenters and contributors all know, it IS a family of wonderful, talented, kind, hard working people.’