Former best pals Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield's friendship is thought to be damaged beyond repair.
The pair, who had presented This Morning together for over 13 years, were reported to be "barely speaking" before the 61-year-old stepped down from the ITV daytime show. But, the cracks in their former friendship are on clear display since news of Phillip's affair with a younger co-worker emerged it as appears the former pals have cut ties for good.
After Phil confessed to having an affair and lying about it, Holly posted a statement to share her 'hurt'.
It read: "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."
Before Holly's statement slamming Phil's 'lies', the relationship between the pair had appeared to have turned sour despite Phillip referring to Holly as "his rock" in a public statement earlier this month
We've looked at their 17-year friendship over the years after Phillip's fall from grace and the rift between him and Holly widens...
Teaming up for the first time for Dancing on Ice
Holly and Phillip haven't always been a pair, and first began presenting together in 2006 when they hosted the first series of ITV's Dancing On Ice.
Prior to the mainstream ITV gig, Holly had been a familiar face on children's programmes and small shows like BBC's Fame Academy.
Whereas Phil was already a prime time presenter and one of the hosts on This Morning as well as others – but also had a background in children's television.
Holly revealed in a 2017 interview that she was initially intimidated to work with Phil, as she said: "I was a bit scared when I first met him but that changed very quickly when I realised he was basically me in the male form."
Holly joins This Morning
After the pair worked together on Dancing On Ice, it wasn't long before they were being matched up for This Morning.
In 2009, Phil was left without a co-star for This Morning after presenter Fern Britton stood down. ITV bosses brought in Holly as the bubbly counterpart alongside Phillip, but only after he put her forward as his preferred co-host.
In 2017, The Sun shared an interview with Phil saying: "We had such fun on DOI that when the position became vacant on This Morning, I said 'Holly is the only person I want. If I can’t have her I am not playing'."
NTA Awards win and party antics
As hosts of This Morning, the pair quickly became viewer favourites with many ITV viewers loving the friendship between the couple that often saw them in impromptu giggles and innuendos live on air.
In 2016, the pair won an NTA award for This Morning and famously appeared on the sofa the next morning in the same clothes they'd worn the night before.
Rather than causing shock, the moment made TV history with viewers finding the couple's hungover state hilarious.
Phillip comes out as gay with Holly's support
A key moment in Phil and Holly's friendship was in 2020 when Phillip made the shock announcement as he came out as gay. Phil, who had the support of his wife Stephanie and two daughters Molly and Ruby, also turned to pal Holly at the difficult time in his life.
After an emotional tell-all interview on This Morning, Phillip was seen clutching Holly's hand as he said: "This is the sister I never had."
Later Phillip told the BBC’s The One Show that he "wouldn’t have wanted anyone else" by his side apart from Holly. He said: "I couldn't have done that with anyone else, I wouldn’t have wanted anyone else to be sitting by the side of me.
"We’d had a big lead up to that moment and Holly was one of the first people that I told and she’s such a wise person. She’s got such a calm, sensitive aura to her."
Queuegate backlash
Cracks between the previously unbreakable pair began to show in 2022 when they were falsely accused of jumping the queue to the see the late Queen Elizabeth lying in state in September.
This Morning was hit with Ofcom complaints and the dup came under fire while a petition was launched to axe the pair from the show.
The pair released a lengthy statement, insisting they would never jump a queue.
On their show, alongside photos and videos from them reporting from Westminster Hall, Holly said in a pre-recorded message: "We were given official permission to access the hall, it was strictly for reporting on the event for millions of people in the UK who haven't been able to visit Westminster in person. The rules were, that we would be quickly escorted around the edges to a platform at the back. In contrast, those paying respect stood on a carpeted area beside the coffin and were given time to pause.
"None of the broadcasters or journalists there took anyone's place in the queue and no one filed past the Queen."
She concluded: "We, of course, respected those rules. However, we realised it may have looked like something else and therefore totally understand the reaction. Please know we would never jump the queue."
At the time, ITV confirmed in a statement that the pair were not given any special treatment or VIP access.
A post on their social media page read: "Hello everyone, we would like to clarify something. We asked Phillip and Holly to be part of a film for this Tuesday’s programme. They did not jump the queue, have VIP access or file past the Queen lying in state - but instead were there in a professional capacity as part of the world’s media to report on the event."
Rumours of a feud between the pair begin
Whilst the 'feud' between Holly and Phil has been heavily discussed in recent weeks, it's believed the rift between the pair are said to have actually began in 2018 after Holly landed herself a presenting gig on ITV's I'm A Celebrity.
For Holly, who stood in for Ant McPartlin, it was a primetime role that she'd landed on her own and Phil was reported to be "jealous" of her success. However Phil denied he was jealous when questioned over Holly's time in the spotlight.
Holly goes it alone
In 2020, it was reported Holly left YMU, the talent agency which also represented Phil after years of being signed to the agent, set up her own, named Roxy Management, instead.
The TV star then went on to set up her own brand Wylde Moon in steps which saw her break away from Phil.
Falling out 'for good'
The This Morning duo, who have presented alongside one another for 13-years, are reported to have 'fell out for good' after Phillip went over Holly's head on This Morning after she requested an all-female cast and crew for International Women's Day.
Back in March, Holly along with the show's editor Martin Frizell, had reportedly decided that an all-female presenting line-up would be the perfect way to celebrate the mark annual Women's Day.
However, Phillip was reportedly not one bit happy with the idea of being pushed aside, and instead, went over Holly's head over the matter.
The This Morning presenter, "went to ITV's big boss Emma Gormley to put a stop to them", according to Mail Online.
In the end, after Phillip reportedly "put his foot down", Holly was only allowed to host the first section of the show surrounded by the show's female production staff while Phillip took some time away from the This Morning set to have a coffee "down the road".
Once the first half was over, Phil reportedly rejoined Holly on the famous couch as if there were no bad blood between them.
Speaking to the publication, and insider claimed: "Holly was livid about Gormley's decision and the fact Phillip had undermined her, and made that very clear to numerous people at ITV.
"It was the first real sign to This Morning staff that their relationship had fractured and Holly wanted to step out of Phillip's shadow."
Feud rumours and Phil's bombshell statement
As rumours swirled that Phil and Holly's friendship had 'cooled', Phillip shared a bombshell statement to explain things "hadn't been easy" for him and Holly.
Speaking to The Sun, he pleaded: "The last few weeks haven't been easy for either of us. My family went through a real ordeal.
"And Holly's support throughout meant the world to me, as did the support of my bosses at ITV, my editor Martin Frizell and the whole This Morning family, including our amazing viewers."
The statement is said to have "blindsided" and "deeply upset" Holly as the pair's divide appeared to grow.
Phil steps down from This Morning and news of his affair
Earlier this month Phillip announced he was leaving This Morning with "immediate effect" following the rumours of the feud between him and Holly reaching fever pitch.
He issued a statement, which ITV later echoed, as he described that he felt This Morning was 'becoming the story' and it was for the best that he left the show.
However, he also later revealed that he had lied to ITV, This Morning colleagues and his talent agency YMU Group and had an affair with a much younger colleague who he met when the was just a teen.
In a statement shared on Friday evening, Phillip said: "I did have a consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague at This Morning. Contrary to speculation, whilst I met the man when he was a teenager and was asked to help him to get into television, it was only after he started to work on the show that it became more than just a friendship. That relationship was unwise, but not illegal. It is now over."
Phillip insisted his recent departure from This Morning was "unrelated" but had "fuelled speculation and raised questions", which he says have been "impacting" his ex.
He added: "For his sake it is important for me to be honest now".
Addressing the news of Phillip's affair, Holly shared a statement to her Instagram which read: "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."
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