Holly Willoughby: Why is the presenter taking a break from ‘This Morning’ and who is her replacement?
Holly Willoughby has taken a two-month break This morning after a somewhat unceremonious exit from the show on Thursday (July 6).
The 42-year-old presenter will take her planned summer break from ITV’s embattled daytime show until September as schools also prepare for the summer break. Your exact return date is yet to be confirmed.
Thursday was Willoughby’s last show before the break, with the presenter not acknowledging that she wouldn’t be back until September, when she signed off on the episode as usual.
The Friday (July 7) show was instead hosted by Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary, who usually host the show on the last day of the week. The couple will also represent Willoughby for the remainder of the summer.
A source told The sun that the presenter was only taking her “usual and planned summer break”.
The Independent has reached out to Willoughby representatives for comment.
The dancing on ice The presenter has been hosting the daily ITV show with Craig Doyle for the past fortnight following the departure of Phillip Schofield This morning.
Willoughby’s longtime co-host resigned from ITV in May after admitting he lied about having an affair with one This morning Colleague.
Willoughby co-hosted with Craig Doyle
(ITV)
Schofield, 61, left the show a week before receiving reports of a feud between himself and Willoughby.
However, a week later, Schofield shared a statement saying he lied about an “unwise but not illegal” relationship with a co-worker. He was fired by his agent and resigned from ITV, with the channel’s bosses saying they were “badly let down” by the presenter.
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Schofield said in a later interview that his co-host and girlfriend was unaware of the affair, and Willoughby said she felt “shaken, troubled, disappointed and concerned” when she got back to her This morning on 5th June.
“You, me and all of us This morning We gave our love and support to someone who wasn’t telling the truth,” she said. “Who acted in a way that made them feel like they needed to step down from ITV and give up a career they loved.” That’s a lot to process.
“It’s just as hard to see the toll it’s taking on her own mental health. I think what unites us all now is a desire to heal for the health and well-being of all. I hope that as we begin this new chapter and return to a place of warmth and magic that this show holds for all of us, we can find strength in one another.”