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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Rose Hill

Phillip Schofield's replacement CONFIRMED as they join Holly Willoughby on This Morning

Phillip Schofield's replacement on This Morning has finally been confirmed as Josie Gibson.

Holly Willoughby will be making her big TV comeback on Monday after a tough few weeks following co-host Phillip's swift exit from ITV.

Host Phillip, who presented the flagship ITV show for 21 years, sensationally admitted to having an affair with a "much younger ITV colleague" just a week after quitting This Morning.

He was subsequently dropped by his talent agency YMU after the affair, which was not illegal, and stepped down from ITV completely – meaning he would no longer host the British Soap Awards next week.

Following the admission, ITV bosses were said to have been left utterly shocked, with senior staff at the channel accusing Phil of "lying at every level".

Holly, 42, has taken a two-week half term break, during which time she was pictured on holiday in Portugal with her family. During her time off, Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary stepped in to present the magazine show.

On Friday, it was confirmed by Alison and Dermot that Holly will be joined on Monday by Big Brother 2010 winner star Josie, who has previously co-hosted on a number of occasions to provide a sunny outlook and some light relief.

Holly previously said that she was "hurt" after Phil admitted to the affair.

Phillip Schofield's replacement has been confirmed (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

She wrote on Instagram : "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."

Phil's revelation sparked accusations of a "toxic" atmosphere behind the scenes on This Morning, with some TV chiefs suggesting to the Mirror that the programme could be axed as it has been "tarnished beyond repair".

Yet Phillip hit back at the claims in a bombshell statement slamming his former co-stars.

Issuing a statement, he insisted that there was no toxicity and that it is "the same handful of people with a grudge against [him] or the show who seem to have the loudest voice".

In a post on Instagram in view of his 2.9 million followers, Schofield wrote: “Now I no longer work on @thismorning I am free to say this. I hope you have noticed that it’s the same handful of people with a grudge against me or the show who seem to have the loudest voice.

Holly and Phil at the NTAs in 2020 (PA)

"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 and hardworking people."

However, this sparked the ire of former co-star Eamonn Holmes, who branded Phillip "delusional" in a bitter war of words.

Eamonn - who left This Morning under a dark cloud with Ruth Langsford in 2021 - went on to make a series of bombshell accusations against Phillip and ITV in an interview with GB News' Dan Wootton.

Among his accusations included Holly and Phil "lying" about their Queuegate excuses, suggesting Holly was "using" Alison Hammond and claiming that Loose Women stars felt "demeaned" by Phillip.

Phillip has since responded to the claims in a series of bombshell TV interviews with the BBC and The Sun, in which he also addressed his affair, his wife's reaction and his final text to Holly.

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