Holly and Phil appeared in The Sunday Times magazine in April for a joint interview about their on-screen partnership, but Phil was reportedly left ‘fuming’ by the front cover after a crown was super-imposed on Holly’s head alongside a headline which called her ‘Queen’.
The cover’s sub-heading also referred to Holly as ‘Britain’s hottest TV star’ who had ‘eclipsed’ Phil.
“To say there has been a bit of tension is an understatement,” a source told The Sun on Sunday.
“It all kicked off after Phil and Holly agreed to do the Sunday Times Magazine interview, part of their contractual press obligations with ITV.
“They did it on the understanding they would be given equal billing and the interview would be about their success and popularity as a duo.
“But when the magazine dropped, Phillip was fuming that Holly had a crayon crown airbrushed on to her head while he was crown-less and pictured grumpily looking on in her shadow.”
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The source added: “Phillip was pretty peeved, to say the least — not with Holly but with how he had been usurped. For her part, Holly was also quite mortified and felt terrible.”
Phil’s frustration about the magazine cover is thought to have spilled out at the recent This Morning Live event at Birmingham’s NEC, where the incident was reportedly ‘talk of the set’ after he was heard ‘grumbling’ about it.
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Despite Phil’s anger, the insider goes on to say that the pair won’t let their friendship be affected.
They added: “Phillip basically stuck his neck on the line for Holly and got her the job on This Morning back in the day. Understandably, the whole thing was a bit galling.
“Like all best pals, they have their ups and downs. But for both of them, their friendship comes first.
“Long-term, nothing will get in the way of that.”
Let’s hope so, we can’t imagine This Morning without Phil and Holly!
Closer Online contacted Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield's representatives for comment and they referred us to Holly's latest Instagram post (see above).