Eamonn Holmes said he made his gag about Phillip Schofield's coming out announcement to "break the tension."
This Morning star Schofield came out as gay in a moving statement posted on Instagram, and went on to discuss his news in a tearful chat with co-host Holly Willoughby on yesterday's show.
After the announcement was made, Eamonn joined him on the sofa alongside Ruth Langsford, and declared he was "disappointed" that Schofield wasn't resigning so he could take over his job.
The gag infuriated fans who thought Eamonn was being disrespectful, but the telly veteran has now said he was just trying to lighten the mood, reported Mirror Online.
He tweeted a picture of the pair hugging and wrote: "A picture paints a thousand words.
"This is a man who was in pain , who today confided in Ruth and I and who knows we stand in support of him, his family and his sexuality...
"Also unlike some, he appreciated a laugh to break the tension. @Schofe hoping you find happiness."
After Phil's chat on the show yesterday Eamonn said: "I’m disappointed in a couple of ways.
"First of all, I heard it was a big announcement from Phillip - I thought you were going to come in and announce you had resigned and I would get the job!
"But that wasn’t to be."
As his co stars giggled, Eamonn continued: "And the second is.
"There's this great imponderable in life that has always irritated me.
I thought, 'How come he can sit in a hot tub with Holly Willoughby and Steph [Phillip's wife] doesn’t have a problem, and Dan [Holly's husband] doesn’t have a problem?'"
After hearing his words, This Morning viewers took to Twitter to share their fury.
One person wrote: "Eamonn Holmes being inappropriate as per today, his hot tub comment was gross. Basically insinuated Steph has always known Phil was gay and that's why she let him be friends with Holly... WTF."
Another commented: "Good to see big Eamonn Holmes treating Phillip Schofield coming out with the sensitivity it deserves by saying that he wondered why Phillip was allowed in a hot tub with Holly."
A third tweeted: "'Ohhh that’s why your wife was ok with you getting in a hot tub with Holly.’ Absolute a**hole, that wasn’t funny... get off my TV. @ITV How does he get away with this?"
Someone else added: "Eamonn Holmes comments about Phillip Schofield being in a hot tub with Holly Willoughby, is embarrassingly unhelpful."
