James Whale demands This Morning shake-up amid Holly & Phil queue row

This Morning: Holly Willoughby addresses queue jumping claims

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TV personality James Whale has called for Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield to apologise for “pushing in to the queue” while the Queen was lying-in-state, instead of making “pathetic excuses”. The outspoken personality addressed the queue scandal while demanding a “proper apology” from the duo, calling for them to be replaced by Eamonn Holmes and his wife Ruth Langsford if they don’t.

They could just try being straight with us and apologise properly

James Whale

The podcast host told how he is having “so much fun” watching the row unfold, as well as the way “This Morning are trying to justify their stars pushing into the queue to file past Her Majesty.”

He went on: “What an earth did Schofield and Willoughby think they were going to achieve when everything is filmed and on record?”

James added that the notion of the duo calling themselves journalists had him “rolling around on the floor.”

The star went on to call for the return of the popular duo Eamonn and Ruth to make a return to the daytime ITV show if Holly and Phil don’t “apologise properly”.

James continued: “This toothsome couple have promoted themselves as the perfect TV pairing and let’s face it: from that lofty point you can only fall.

“I don’t expect they’ll lose their careers over this but maybe they could just try being straight with us, apologise properly and not attempt to get out of it with these pathetic excuses.

“Otherwise, bring back Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes.

“Frankly, I preferred them anyway,” he wrote in his column for the Daily Express.

The pair recently came under fire after being accused of jumping the queue to see the Queen lying in state.

The presenters and ITV have since explained they held press accreditation as they were went to Westminster Hall for work.

But now a source involved in the press list has claimed that Holly and Phil’s names were not actually on the press accreditation list.

They explained there had been some “hoo-ha” before the two broadcasters could be ushered into the press pen.

The source said: “When they got there, their names weren’t on the list so there were some discussions and – after some back and forth – Phil and Holly were given access and they were ushered through.

“The whole thing caused a bit of a hoo-ha,” the insider added to The Mail on Sunday.

Holly defended herself and her co-star from the backlash as she addressed the accusations during a recent episode of This Morning.

She said: “The rules were that we would be quickly escorted around the edges to a platform at the back.

“In contrast, those paying respects walked along a carpeted area beside the coffin and were given time to pause.

“None of the broadcasters and journalists there took anyone’s place in the queue and no one filed past the Queen. We of course respected those rules.

Holly went on: “However, we realise that it may have looked like something else, and therefore totally understand the reaction.

“Please know that we would never jump a queue.”

An ITV spokesperson also clarified that the TV stars were working as they explained the pair did not walk past the Queen’s coffin.

The spokesperson told Expess.co.uk: “This Morning had press accreditation and like other media, Phillip and Holly were escorted to work from the press gallery by government staff.

“They did not file past The Queen’s coffin.

“They were there alongside a host of other broadcasters and national press outlets for an item that will be broadcast on Tuesday’s show.

“Any allegations of improper behaviour are categorically untrue,” they added.

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