ITV bosses were told Holly Willoughby was quitting This Morning ‘minutes’ before she announced resignation on Instagram – after star ‘tearfully made decision with her family’ following Phillip Schofield scandal and ‘kidnap and murder plot’
- READ MORE: Holly’s year from hell – from ‘Queuegate’ to Schofield scandal
ITV bosses were told that Holly Willoughby that she was quitting This Morning just minutes before dramatically announcing her resignation in an Instagram post, sources claimed last night.
The 42-year-old tearfully made the decision with her family at the weekend before telling ITV it had ‘all got too much’ in a text message just before posting an emotional statement to her eight million Instagram followers.
Ms Willoughby’s exit comes after a difficult year which has seen the star forced to deal with Phillip Schofield’s scandalous affair with a younger colleague and the more recent ‘kidnap and murder plot’ case.
Sources at ITV told the Mail that bosses learned about the star’s departure minutes before she posted about it on Instagram while those working on This Morning were taken by surprise.
One said: ‘While there have been murmurings since the kidnap [allegation] came out that Holly might decide to give it all up, the bosses were confident that they were giving her all of the support she needed. Then bang, this. It came as a real shock, especially as she vowed to save This Morning after Phil was ousted. People are gobsmacked, the place is chaos.’
Another said: ‘It would appear no one on the programme knew she was quitting until she announced it on social media.’
Those close to Ms Willoughby said that the alleged kidnap and murder threats left her ‘terrified’ to be away from her children.
Holly Willoughby told ITV bosses she was quitting This Morning ‘minutes’ before announcing her resignation on Instagram, sources claimed
Ms Willougby’s departure from the show comes after a difficult year for the star, which saw her deal with Phillip Schofield’s affair with a younger colleague and the more recent kidnap scandal
Friends of the star said she felt ‘terrible’ about Schofield’s treatment
Ms Willoughby quit This Morning after 14 years – saying that the decision had come about for the sake of herself and her family
Colleagues such as Alison Hammond (pictured on This Morning last month) have expressed support for Ms Willoughby’s decision
Ms Willoughby’s decision to quit has thrown This Morning into further disarray following the departure of Phillip Schofield (pictured with Holly in February 2020, when he came out as gay live on the programme)
Ms Willoughby pictured during her last appearance on the show with co-star Josie Gibson
Ms Willoughby’s departure is said to have taken ITV bosses by surprise, with some staff only learning of the decision minutes before she announced it on social media
The presenter took to Instagram today to confirm she ‘will not be returning’ to the show
Ms Willoughby makes her debut as a presenter with Phillip Schofield on This Morning in 2009. The pair’s presenting chemistry made them darlings of daytime TV
Gavin Plumb, 36, was last week charged with soliciting to commit murder and incitement to commit kidnap. He will appear in court next month. There were also claims that he had arranged for a hitman to fly in from the US to target the star this week.
It came just weeks after the star signed a new contract – which saw her annual pay increase from £700,000 – and vowed to save the show after Mr Schofield’s departure.
READ MORE: Holly Willoughby’s This Morning colleagues Alison Hammond and Rochelle Humes lead tributes to the star as she quits ITV show
Sources said that although ITV bosses had done their best to give her the support she needed, Ms Willoughby decided it wasn’t viable to continue to have a high-profile TV role and not take her own children to school. A friend said: ‘When it comes to her family, Holly will not take risks. She loves her work and is hugely ambitious but with a heavy heart she will forsake it for her family’s future.
‘This has shocked her to her very core. There is no way she would be able to be on live television wondering what is going on with her beloved family.’
Ms Willoughby has three children – Harry, 14, Belle, 12, and nine-year-old Chester – with her TV producer husband Dan Baldwin.
Although she has cited her family’s wellbeing as the reason for her departure, friends of the star say she also felt ‘terrible’ about Schofield’s treatment.
Some say that Ms Willoughby ‘hasn’t been the same’ since the fallout earlier this year and had stayed on at This Morning out of loyalty even though ‘the damage was done.’
One source said ‘she never got over it’ and ‘misses’ her co-host of 14 years. They added: ‘You wonder if she regrets the fallout – look at everything that has happened as a result. It’s really sad.’
The pair enjoyed a famously strong friendship for years with Ms Willoughby comforting Schofield when he came out on the show in 2020. However their relationship cooled following the ‘Queuegate’ scandal in September last year – when they were accused of skipping the queue to see the Queen lying in state.
Relations deteriorated further in April when Schofield took time away from the sofa as his paedophile brother went on trial – something he failed to warn his co-star was coming. After news of his affair broke in May, Ms Willoughby made it clear she wanted to stay on the programme but that it was impossible to host with Schofield, 61, as their friendship had broken down.
Pictured: This Morning presenters (back row left to right) Gok Wan, Lisa Snowdon, (front row left to right) Bryony Blake, Rylan Clark-Neal, Holly Willoughby, Phillip Schofield and Alison Hammond in March 2018
ITV says it is looking forward to continuing to work with Ms Willoughby ‘in the future’ (pictured here at the Pride of Britain Awards in October 2018)
Holly Willoughby and husband Daniel Baldwin share three children. The couple are pictured together
Holly Willoughby pictured on her final show with Josie Gibson last Wednesday – less than a week before she dramatically quit the ITV show
Gavin Plumb, 36, appeared in the dock at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Friday accused of soliciting to commit murder and incitement to commit kidnap
She also made it clear that she wanted to be paired with former Big Brother star Alison Hammond, 48, whom ITV bosses were chuffed to see host together. This led to Schofield being given no option but to leave the show he had hosted for 21 years with stars including Ms Hammond and Josie Gibson brought in to fill the hole.
However, at the weekend it emerged that Ms Willoughby had got in touch with him to build bridges. Ms Willoughby’s camp also told how he had messaged her after last week’s kidnap plot was revealed. But claims that the former best friends have made up are said to be untrue.
‘Phil is really sad still,’ said one source. ‘They are not friends and it’s very, very unlikely they ever will be ever again.
‘Holly went out there publicly and said that Phil had lied to her about his affair with the young runner and then privately was texting him.
‘She messaged him because she was really upset and concerned at people criticising him, at the same time she was going back on television.
‘It hasn’t been the same for her since. She vowed to guide the show through the choppy waters but in the end it sadly turned out to be too much.’
Phillip Schofield has reportedly lent his support to former co-presenter Holly Willoughby. The pair are pictured together in August 2022
Ms Willoughby is pictured on This Morning on September 25 this year
Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield are pictured together in January this year. Ms Willoughby has reportedly reached out to Schofield in an attempt to build bridges
Holly and Phil pictured broadcasting This Morning together in May 2023; Schofield reportedly messaged Ms Willoughby last week after the alleged kidnap plot was revealed
Phil and Holly’s post-National Television Awards show in 2016 have became the stuff of side-splitting legend in one of many highlights the pair shared on screen
Last year Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield faced criticism over claims they skipped the queue for the late Queen’s lying-in-state while attending as members of the media to film a segment for This Morning
Schofield, 61, resigned from ITV earlier this year and was dropped by his agency YMU after admitting to an ‘unwise, but not illegal’ affair with a younger male colleague
READ MORE: Good Morning Britain’s Ben Shephard breaks silence on being Phillip Schofield’s replacement on ITV This Morning
Good Morning Britain’s Ben Shephard was the favourite to replace Phillip Schofield on ITV This Morning, sources claim. He is pictured with Holly Willoughby last month
Ms Willoughby described her departure as a ‘difficult goodbye,’ and said it had been an ‘honour’ to be part of This Morning.
She wrote: ‘To everyone who has ever worked on the show over the years, thank you so, so much. This is such a difficult goodbye, you are incredible and I forever will be proud of what we’ve done together.
‘It’s been an honour to just be part of its story and I know this story has many chapters left to go. Sadly, however, I now feel I have to make this decision for me and my family.’
Ms Willoughby also referenced original hosts Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan, saying: ‘Richard and Judy said we only look after this show, it will always belong to the viewers. I will miss you all so much.’
Although sources say her emotions are authentic, she has been fearful of the show’s waning popularity and launched a charm offensive at the National Television Awards last month. The show’s viewing figures have been as low as 600,000 since May – around half of what the show was getting earlier this year.
Last night, Ms Willoughby’s boss Kevin Lygo, hinted that she will continue to work with ITV in the future. However it is unknown whether she will continue to host Dancing On Ice.
Mr Lygo said: ‘We are sad that Holly is leaving This Morning, but respect her decision which we know will have been extremely difficult for her to make.
‘Holly is one of the best loved, respected and most accomplished broadcasters in the UK. She has been at the heart of This Morning for the past 14 years, and she is adored by our viewers.
‘She remains a much loved member of the ITV family and we look forward to continuing to work with her in the future.’
Phil and Holly were joined by Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan for the 21st anniversary edition of This Morning back in 2009. Holly echoed the founding presenters’ words in her departure announcement, noting: ‘it (the show) will always belong to the viewers’
This Morning has enjoyed a wealth of presenters throughout the years, including Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford (pictured with Phil and Holly in February 2020)
Davina McCall’s name was ‘thrown around’ by ITV bosses as a potential replacement for Holly Willoughby on This Morning, sources say
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also offered his support to Ms Willoughby while appearing for an interview on This Morning last week. He is pictured on the show with Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond
Channel chiefs were far into planning their January relaunch of the show, with plans to pair Ms Willoughby with a new male co-star.
They were keen on it being Good Morning Britain’s Ben Shephard and even put the two of them on the show together last month.
Senior executives loved them and were looking to give him the role permanently. But now they have to go back to the drawing board and find a ‘new Holly.’
While it is too early to confirm any replacement for Ms Willoughby, Davina McCall’s name was ‘thrown around’ at ITV’s West London headquarters last night.
While ITV bosses adore Ms Hammond and Ms Gibson, they feel they are restricted to presenting ‘lighter’ content. Meanwhile Ms McCall, who has handled hard-hitting documentaries, would be able to deal with ‘heavier’ issues.
One source said: ‘Davina is a consummate professional, she is a cut above most of the presenters out there at the moment and most of all ITV are very envious of the menopause documentaries that she has done for Channel 4.
‘They feel that she is perfect for their audience. That said, it’s early days, but people are fully aware that replacing her could be a total nightmare.’
This Morning bosses are still awaiting the findings from a probe into the Schofield scandal and claims of a toxic, bullying culture.
The outcome from an external investigation, by London-based KC Jane Mulcahy, are expected next month after ITV’s senior management team were hauled before MPs.
Chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall, Mr Lygo and This Morning editor Martin Frizell have all faced criticism for their actions.
Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield’s dramatic year on This Morning
In a dramatic year for daytime TV staple This Morning, Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby have both now left the sofa that they had shared together for more than 10 years.
Schofield’s fall from grace was swift following him admitting to an affair with a much younger male colleague while still married to his wife and losing his talent representation before departing from ITV altogether.
Willoughby said her decision in October was to spend more time ‘for me and my family’ and the broadcaster’s managing director for media and entertainment Kevin Lygo has said she ‘remains a much-loved member of the ITV family’ and that he hopes to work with her in the future.
Here is a timeline of how events unfolded:
– February 2020: Schofield comes out as gay after nearly 27 years of marriage to wife Stephanie, in an emotional on-air chat with co-host and long-time friend Willoughby. The pair embrace on the sofa.
Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield have both faced criticism
September 2022: The co-hosts face criticism over claims they skipped the queue for Queen Elizabeth II’s lying in state while attending as members of the media to film a segment for This Morning.
April 17 2023: The first hint something might be wrong comes in the first show after the Easter break. Schofield and Willoughby should both be on the sofa after he took leave while his brother Timothy was on trial for child sex offences. While Schofield is back in the studio, Willoughby is absent, saying she has shingles.
May 10: The Sun reports the pair are ‘barely speaking’.
May 11: Schofield calls Holly ‘his rock’ and says they are ‘the best of friends’.
May 15: The pair put on a united front on This Morning and make no reference to stories in the press about their relationship.
May 18: Schofield presents what will turn out to be his last episode of This Morning.
May 20: Schofield steps down from This Morning with immediate effect. ITV says he will continue to present ‘peak-time shows’, including The British Soap Awards and a new prime-time series. Willoughby releases a statement saying the sofa ‘won’t feel the same without him’.
Presenters Dermot O´Leary and Alison Hammond
May 21: It is announced that Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond will host the show on Monday May 22, as Willoughby takes early half-term leave. It is announced she will return to hosting duties on June 5.
May 22: O’Leary and Hammond host the show and hail Schofield as ‘one of the best live television broadcasters this country has ever had’.
May 26: Schofield admits to an ‘unwise but not illegal’ affair with a much younger male colleague and resigns from ITV. He confirms the relationship began while he was still with his wife and says he will not be hosting the British Soap Awards, his last public commitment. He apologises for lying about the relationship. He is dropped by his talent agency YMU.
May 27: Willoughby accuses Schofield of lying to her about the affair, saying his admission is ‘very hurtful’. ITV says the broadcaster was ‘not provided with, and did not find, any evidence of a relationship beyond hearsay and rumour’ when it looked into the matter in 2020.
May 28: Former This Morning resident doctor Dr Ranj Singh says the show is ‘toxic’, adding he raised concerns about ‘bullying and discrimination’ two years ago when he worked there and afterwards felt like he was ‘managed out’ for whistleblowing. ITV responds by saying an external and independent adviser was appointed to carry out a review after the complaint, which found ‘no evidence of bullying or discrimination’.
Dame Carolyn McCall, chief executive of ITV
May 29: Schofield releases a statement denying ‘toxicity’ at This Morning and says ‘it’s the same handful of people with a grudge against me or the show who seem to have the loudest voice’. Former This Morning presenter Eamonn Holmes alleges there was a ‘total cover-up’ at ITV over the affair and, in an interview on GB News, says Willoughby should follow Schofield ‘out the door’.
May 31: In a letter, seen by the PA news agency, ITV’s chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall says the broadcaster has instructed a barrister to conduct an external review of how it has handled Schofield’s affair. She adds that Jane Mulcahy KC, of Blackstone Chambers, will ‘carry out an external review to establish the facts’.
June 1: Dame Carolyn is called to give evidence to a parliamentary committee on June 14 to answer questions about the broadcaster’s approach to safeguarding and complaint handling after the departure of Schofield.
The Sun publishes an interview with Schofield in which he says he is sorry to Willoughby but owes his ‘greatest apology’ to his former lover. He reiterates that he did not ‘groom’ the man, and that although his wife was ‘very, very angry’ about the affair, his daughters have been ‘guarding’ him during the fallout.
June 2: The BBC airs its own interview with Schofield, conducted by media editor Amol Rajan. Schofield says he has ‘lost everything’ and the affair has had a ‘catastrophic effect’ on his mind. Speaking about the criticism he has faced he says he can see ‘nothing ahead’ except ‘blackness and sadness’ and now speaks about his career in television ‘in the past tense’. Schofield also urges the media to leave the younger man alone.
June 5: Willoughby makes an emotional return to This Morning, saying she felt ‘shaken, troubled, let down and worried’ following the revelations about Schofield. The episode was watched by an average of 839,000 viewers, the highest daily average for the show since the coronation bank holiday on May 8, and had a peak audience of 1.6 million.
June 14: ITV boss Dame Carolyn is questioned by MPs alongside ITV managing director Kevin Lygo and general counsel and company secretary Kyla Mullins about Schofield’s exit. Dame Carolyn tells the Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee that the broadcaster does not recognise allegations of a toxic culture at This Morning, saying ‘it deeply disappoints me’.
September 5: This Morning loses its best daytime show title at the National Television Awards to The Repair Shop following being on a winning streak in the daytime category for the last number of years.
September 13: Dame Carolyn updates the CMS committee to say the external review is being led by Jane Mulcahy KC and she has ‘conducted multiple witness interviews, with further interviews set to continue during the course of September’.
October 6: A shopping centre security officer is remanded in custody over an alleged plot to kidnap and murder Willoughby. Gavin Plumb, 36, was charged at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court with soliciting a man named David Nelson to commit murder, and incitement to commit kidnap between October 2 and 5 in Harlow, Essex. The other man was due to arrive in the UK the following week from the US, the court heard.
October 10: Willoughby announces she is stepping down from presenting This Morning after 14 years saying on Instagram that it was an ‘honour to just be part of its story’. Following Willoughby’s announcement, Mr Lygo said: ‘She remains a much loved member of the ITV family and we look forward to continuing to work with her in the future.’
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