Phillip Schofield has opened up about his mum's struggle with loneliness following his dad's death in 2008.
This Morning presenter Phil, 58, spoke about his mum on the programme during a phone-in segment.
Callers rang in to speak to agony aunt Deirdre about loneliness in lockdown, with viewer Julie saying that she found it had been finding it difficult since her husband's death last year.
NHS worker Julie has been shielding since March by herself, with her children no longer living with her.
Phil then spoke about his own mum Pat, who has found it hard over the last few months.
He said: "We lost my dad in 2008, and my mum will be watching now, this will make her cry.
"She feels exactly the same, it never goes away, she still feels lonely and she surrounds herself with family when she can.
"After lockdown, when things begin to get back to normal, it will get a bit better, you will always going to miss him, there’s always going to be that big hole in your heart."
He told Julie that "things will get better" in the future.
"Once you can start to see your friends a bit more, and talk to your work colleagues, all I can say on behalf of my mum, is she still gets lonely but she surrounds herself with people, and it will get better," Phil said.
Last month, Phil shared a sweet throwback selfie with his mum on Instagram.
He wrote: "#thistimelastyear ... Miss ya mum, hopefully get to see you soon."
*This Morning airs weekdays at 10am on ITV
