Phillip Schofield has hit back at recent reports of a rift between him and Amanda Holden, describing the rumours as "hurtful and wildly untrue."
A report published in The Sun over the weekend claimed that Holden had accused Schofield of “blocking” her from standing in for Holly Willoughby on This Morning last year, during her three-week stint on I’m A Celebrity in Australia.
But Schofield took umbrage at the claims, lamenting them on social media without directly referencing them.
“The end of another really sad weekend,” he wrote on Twitter. “When you try for 35 years to be the easiest, most fun person to work with and you read such hurtful and wildly untrue stories from nameless ‘sources’.
“Obviously I’ll take it on the chin.. I just hope you know me better.”
The presenter also replied to a tweet commenting on the alleged feud, one asking a fan “how much they think is true” with a series of laughing emojis.
Schofield was inundated with support from fans after his short statement. The official ITV account also replied with a heart emoji.
Reigniting rumours of a simmering feud between the two ITV stars, a source reportedly told The Sun on Sunday that Schofield had branded Holden “difficult to manage" and "used his powers of persuade" to lobby for Rochelle Humes to replace Willoughby.
“Phillip actively campaigned for Rochelle Humes to get the job despite Amanda being more experienced,” a source told The Sun On Sunday.
“She feels Phil unfairly used his powers of persuasion. She was told he’d chosen Rochelle because she was easier to ‘manage’ on air - and understandably that incensed her.”
Her comments followed reports last year that Holden had been told she would get the This Morning slot but was later told she was out of plans during a lunch with ITV executives.
The Britain’s Got Talent judge took the opportunity to fuel the fire on her Heart Breakfast radio show, joking that Schofield was “one of the things she wouldn’t like to find in her house”.
