Susanna Reid of Good Morning Britain has conveyed her best wishes to Holly Willoughby, who left This Morning after 14 years.
The 42-year-old host, who has been presenting with Alison Hammond and Josie Gibson since Phillip Schofield‘s retirement earlier this year, announced her resignation 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 added that it was ‘a difficult goodbye’ and that she was making the decision for her own and her family’s benefit, after an alleged kidnap plot.
Talking about Holly’s exit, Susanna began: ‘I just want to open the show by sending, I’m sure, all of our best wishes to Holly Willoughby, who has made what is clearly the difficult decision to step down from This Morning on ITV daytime after 14 years at the programme.’
Susanna, who frequently presents Good Morning Britain with former This Morning host Richard Madeley, went on: ‘She’s clearly made the right decision for her and her family, as she says, a very difficult goodbye, but family first.
‘Our very best wishes to Holly, a beloved colleague. I’ll miss seeing her walking past as she goes to work.’
Co-host Ed Balls continued: ‘She’s had such a tough year, but you feel confident that she’ll be back on television soon, we don’t know when but she’s a total star, so it’ll be a big loss.’
This comes after Holly’s co-stars reacted to her exit, with Alison writing: ‘This is a very sad day! Love you.’
Craig Doyle added: ‘We are so supportive of you and we love you to bits, we just wish it didn’t end this way. Its a sad day for everyone. 💚.’
Friday host Dermot O’Leary penned: ‘Nothing but love and respect for you and yours. X.’
Holly’s statement read: ‘I have let ITV know today that after 14 years, I will not be returning to This Morning.’
‘To everyone who has ever worked on the show over the years, thank you so so much.
‘This is such a difficult goodbye, you are incredible and I forever will be proud of what we’ve done together. Thank you to everyone at ITV for being supportive. To every guest who has sat on our sofa, thank you,’ she continued.
‘Most of all, thank you to the wonderful viewers. You’ve been so loyal, so supportive and the very best company every day.’
She went on to recall former This Morning hosts Richard and Judy, who said ‘we only look after this show, it will always belong to the viewers’.
‘It’s been an honour to just be part of its story and I know this story has many chapters left to go. Sadly, however, I now feel I have to make this decision for me and my family,’ Holly said.
The Wylde Moon founder’s exit comes after she was reportedly yanked from her This Morning hosting responsibilities seconds before the show was scheduled to begin last Thursday, following the arrest and charging of a man with solicitation to commit murder and instigation to commit kidnapping of the ITV presenter.
Holly Willoughb’y statement in full:
‘I have let ITV know today that after 14 years, I will not be returning to This Morning.
‘To everyone who has ever worked on the show over the years, thank you so so much. This is such a difficult goodbye, you are incredible and I forever will be proud of what we’ve done together. Thank you to everyone at ITV for being supportive. To every guest who has sat on our sofa, thank you.
‘Most of all, thank you to the wonderful viewers. You’ve been so loyal, so supportive and the very best company every day.
‘Richard and Judy said “we only look after this show, it will always belong to the viewers”. It’s been an honour to just be part of its story and I know this story has many chapters left to go. Sadly, however, I now feel I have to make this decision for me and my family.
‘I will miss you all so much.
‘Holly.’
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV1, with This Morning airing at 10am.
