Following her shock resignation from This Morning earlier this month, Holly Willoughby has been spending some much-needed time at home with her family following months of turmoil.
Reaching out to her fans in an emotional Instagram post about her resignation, Holly thanked her colleagues and This Morning viewers for their loyalty and support, adding, “Sadly, however, I now feel I have to make this decision for me and my family… I will miss you all so much.”
And following reports that Holly’s former best friend and co-star of 14 years, Phillip Schofield, 61, has reached out to offer his support to the woman he once called his “sister”, following a five-month estrangement, insiders say the star may be ready to make amends after following in his footsteps by quitting the show.
A source says, “Holly was surprised when she got the message from Phil, and found herself overcome with emotion – admitting it made her feel a sense of renewed sadness for what happened between them.
“Going through a rocky few months following Phil’s departure has made Holly realise that life is too short to hold grudges – especially against someone who was such a huge part of her life.
“When the text came through, it felt like everything that had happened between them just blurred into insignificance.”
Holly, 42, endured one of the toughest times in both her personal and professional life after Phil sensationally quit This Morning and confessed to lying about his “unwise, but not illegal” affair with a younger male colleague – leaving their 17-year friendship in tatters.
As a result, Holly’s career was left hanging in the balance as she was accused of being in on her pal’s secret, and she’s since been trying to salvage her reputation after cutting ties with her former best pal and co-host.
But pals say that after months of uncertainty as to where her future lay, the presenter-turned-wellness guru, who shares Harry, 13, Belle, 11, and eight-year-old Chester with TV producer Dan Baldwin, 48, has now been able to reassess her friendship with Phil from a fresh perspective.
The source adds, “Phil was one of the most important people in her life and she was heartbroken by what happened, so to hear from him as she was going through a life-changing time put everything into perspective.
“Losing not only his friendship but the friendship of his family has been so tough for Holly and the pain and heartache she’s endured because of it has been immeasurable.
“As angry and upset as she was – and still is – her eyes have been opened to what’s truly important in life and, ultimately, that’s the people she loves.”
Following Phil’s shock admission back in May, he said, “I’ve lost my best friend” as he spoke about his estrangement from Holly, who he insisted had no knowledge of the fling.
Amid the media storm surrounding her at the time – with many insisting she must have known about the affair and calling for her to be axed from the show – Phillip continued to defend the mum-of-three, insisting, “Holly did not know”. He also revealed how his apology texts to his former best mate went unanswered.
Her defiant return to the sofa shortly after Phil’s departure was met with a tepid reaction from viewers, a dip in ratings and a barrage of criticism, which left her crown as the Queen of ITV tipping.
Last month, she made her first solo appearance at the NTAs – formerly the highlight of her and Phil’s year – where she not only missed out on bagging any awards, but was booed by some of the audience.
And pals say that while Holly is keen to make amends with Phil, she’s understandably worried about the effect their reconciliation could have on her.
The source says, “Holly’s feeling torn between wanting Phil back in her life and the repercussions their renewed friendship could have on her career.
“She’s spent the past few months desperately trying to do whatever it takes to regain her crown as the golden girl of ITV, so naturally there’s also an element of worry about how this will look to the public and the potentially detrimental effect this kind of shock move could have on her career.
“Ultimately, it’s a battle between her heart and her head as to whether they can ever get their friendship back to what it used to be, but she knows she’s ready to break this wall of silence and make peace at the very least.
“While her career means everything to her, her relationship with her loved ones and the inner peace that comes with forgiveness means more.”