Susanna Reid takes thinly veiled swipe at Holly and Phil after queuing for 7 hours to see Queen

Good Morning Britain's Susanna Reid has seemingly taken a swipe at This Morning presenters Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby by describing what a privilege it was to queue up with everyone else and pay her respects to the Queen.

The TV host, 51, and her 81 year old mother queued for more than seven hours to file past the coffin of Her Majesty who had been Lying-in-State ahead of her funeral today (September 19).

However, ITV colleagues, This Morning presenters Phil, 60, and Holly, 41, have faced backlash after they were spotted walking past queuing mourners inside Westminster Hall and paying their respects in a different line to the public.

The This Morning duo had been criticised for using their celebrity status to jump the queue when others including Susanna and also David Beckham queued with the rest of the public.

During Good Morning Britain today, which has been dedicated to reporting on the hours leading up to the Queen's state funeral, Susanna discussed her experience of queuing to pay her respects to the Queen.

She said: "It is an enormous privilege to have been able to do that, to spend time paying our last respects, but also those hours in the queue as well, coming to an end now.

"You can see the emotion etched on people's faces, I think almost the fact they are the last in the queue," before Ben added: "It's going to resonate further."


Ben, 47, added: "It's huge commitment, when we were talking and you were in the queue I think for seven hours and 20 minutes in total with your mum and a friend.

"So very emotional that you could be together and we had that over and over again from people that met like-minded people that just wanted to feel connected in the queue.

"When you do anything like that and endeavour because it really is an endeavour to stay that long for this moment, you can understand why, for some, they are overwhelmed with emotion."

Susanna continued: "Whether you are religious or not, a royalist or not, it feels like a sort of pilgrimage, and a historic moment, a historic opportunity."

The TV host and appeared to take a subtle swipe at her ITV colleague Phillip, saying: "When I was in the queue, young children, patiently and uncomplainingly stood for hours.

"I was so proud of my mum at 81 queuing with me."

Phil and Holly had been spotted walking past the queue and wearing lanyards leading many to assume they'd skipped the wait due to their celebrity status.

Following the backlash, ITV released a statement at the weekend saying: "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."


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Fellow This Morning presenter Eamonn Holmes broke his silence on the situation which has lead to calls the pair to be replaced on the ITV daytime show and appeared to like a tweet that read: “Does this mean we can have Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langford back on This Morning?”

And former This Morning host Fern Britton tweeted yesterday (September 18): "There's a VIP line?" seeming to remark on fact that Holly and Phil were seen moving forward in a separate line to everyone else.

READ MORE:

  • Queen's lying in state details from whether you can take photos to prohibited items

  • King Charles has seeds for breakfast, never eats lunch and works till midnight

  • Royals have coffins made while still alive with Queen's lead-lined one made 30 years ago

  • Queen's close bond with her grandchildren from Harry to Zara and Lady Louise

  • For the latest updates on the Royal Family, sign up to OK!'s weekly royals newsletter

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