Holly Willoughby‘s remarks on Phillip Schofield‘s resignation and infidelity left This Morning fans perplexed.
On Monday, the 42-year-old broadcaster returned to the ITV programme for the first time since May 18 — Schofield’s farewell episode as co-host.
Shortly after their final appearance together, the 61-year-old announced his departure from ITV and admitting to lying about having an affair with a younger runner, concealing the truth from his colleagues, superiors, friends, and family.
Holly took a “deep breath” and asked viewers if they were “all right,” before confessing it “feels very strange indeed sitting here without Phil.”
She recognised that like many others, she feels ‘shaken’ and ‘worried for the health of individuals on both sides of what’s been going on’, while acknowledging that the situation ‘is a lot to comprehend’.
Holly asked people to ‘heal’ and ‘come back to a place of warmth’ for This Morning, in addition to the ‘toll that it’s done’ on Schofield’s mental health.
However, viewers weren’t totally impressed, with many people left asking ‘Is that it?’
One person tweeted: ‘Is that it? What a strange statement from Holly. Great way to airbrush, gloss over and downplay all that’s happened. #thismorning’
‘That was the shortest statement known to man from Holly, and it looks like it’s just been brushed under the carpet. Hate to break it to you but don’t think that’s gonna cut it, a lot has happened for it to just be forgotten about,’ added another.
https://twitter.com/CallumKH/status/1665646111241977856
‘Was definitely expecting more from that Holly Willoughby statement 
#thismorning, ‘ wrote a third viewer, with a fourth adding: ‘I feel like Holly Willoughby said a load of nothing? Like what even was the message there? #thismorning’
‘Well the build up to Holly’s speech turned out to be nothing more than a few lines to say we will keep going,’ a different person said, while another joked: ‘Holly Willoughby giving a speech like we’ve just come out the other end of a war #thismorning’
Others, however, pointed out that Holly was in a terrible situation and would have faced criticism regardless of what she said.
‘Holly seemed very cold. A lot of people will say “was that it” and others will say “what did you expect her to say” #thismorning,’ tweeted one social media user.
And another added: ‘Feel like everyone would of hated anything Holly said , she couldn’t really win either way.
‘If she didn’t say anything everyone would would be like ” can’t believe she hadn’t said anything ” if she was crying like Alison it would be ” hear come the waterworks ” #ThisMorning (sic)’
Holly stated on her Instagram Story that she was ‘sad’ to have been lied to following the confirmation of Schofield’s clandestine romance.
She 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.’
This Morning airs weekdays at 10am on ITV1.
