It’s been an incredibly tough few weeks for Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield – and their stress was palpable to viewers after a tense moment between the pair on screen last week.
During an interview with a victim of the Bali bombings on the 20th anniversary, Phillip, 60, talked over Holly, 41, as she began to ask a question – resulting in Holly falling silent and clearly appearing to roll her eyes and purse her lips at the interruption.
The incident quickly lit up social media, with many fans expressing their shock at the moment, with one writing, “Oooof, Holly looked pi**ed when Phil cut across her!” Another wrote, “The cracks are beginning to show between Holly and Phil!”
The tension comes after they came under harsh criticism last month when they were accused of using their status as TV stars to skip the lengthy queue to see the Queen’s lying-in-state at the Palace of Westminster.
Now a source says, “The last month has been really difficult for Holly and Phil, probably some of the most difficult times of both their careers. They’ve been a team for so long and have braved other storms, but this time the backlash has taken a bit of a toll on their friendship.
“Feeling anxious or stressed can impact any friendship and for Holly and Phil, the tension of the whole ordeal has lead to an awkwardness between them. Their colleagues on This Morning have felt it too and it’s created a bit of an atmosphere, with people walking on eggshells and wondering if this could spell the end for their partnership. And now that it’s becoming obvious to the viewers, it’s become a bigger issue. There are genuine fears the two could turn on each other.”
Over the last few weeks, over 76,000 people have signed a petition calling for the co-stars, who have been presenting This Morning together for 13 years, to be sacked from the ITV daytime show, accusing them of being “given privileges that deprive others”.
Sources said at the time that Holly had been left “devastated” by the backlash and had been in “floods of tears”, with pal Piers Morgan saying she was “distraught”.
And while the duo have always denied a fallout, they have never faced pressure like this before. To add to the problem, the repercussions from “queuegate” seem to be uneven. Last week, it emerged that Phil had lost his “seven-figure” sponsorship deal with We Buy Any Car, after memes circled on social media of Phil and the catchphrase “We jump any queue”. Holly, however, has just landed a new £7m deal with retail giant Marks and Spencer, who announced they have extended her contract as the brand’s ambassador for another two years.
Holly and Phil have worked together since 2006 and have always spoken about their close friendship off-set – spending nights out together and holidaying with their families.
Speaking on a podcast last November, Holly also revealed how she had Phil to thank for her successful TV career. “If it wasn’t for Phil, I wouldn’t be on This Morning now,’” she told host Elizabeth Day last year.
But there’s also been plenty of rumours of friction between the pair – with reports in 2019 claiming the pair were embroiled in a feud over Holly’s gig on I’m A Celebrity!, when she stood in for Ant McPartlin.
And now the insider reveals how TV bosses fear that the outcome of recent weeks has changed the dynamic, and there are questions over whether they can continue to work as a pair.
The source adds, “Phil and Holly have always had a close-knit bond but this is testing them like nothing before. There’s a lot of unspoken tension – the whole thing has just been really stressful for both of them, as a team, as well as pals.
“It’s left their future as a presenting team hanging in the balance. Holly and Phil have been so loved over the years due to their banter, their friendship and their shared sense of humour. But if there isn’t warmth between them, it’s not the same. There’s no way that ITV would want to lose Holly completely and some staff believe that has made Phil paranoid about his own standing on the show, especially after recent events.”
The source adds that the slew of recent stories about Holly’s emotional turmoil has created an atmosphere on set, as she and Phil fear one of their team is trying to sabotage them.
The source says, “The frosty atmosphere is felt by everyone at This Morning – the whole thing is the big elephant in the room. None of the staff would ever want to be in a room where the two people in charge dislike each other. It hasn’t got to that stage yet, but that’s where some people are fearful it could be heading.”
Holly Willoughby 'devastated' over Kate Middleton dream interview
Closer hears that Holly is also devastated that “queuegate” may have ended any chance she has of ever landing her dream TV interview – with Kate Middleton.
While Holly interviewed the new Princess of Wales in 2020, lockdown restrictions did not permit Kate to go into the This Morning studio. Revealing that Kate would be her ultimate guest, Holly said in 2015, “I’d be like, ‘Please can I be your best friend?’”
Now those close to Holly say she fears all hope of that happening are “dead in the water”.
The source says, “It’s always been Holly’s biggest wish to interview Kate on the sofa. She thinks she’s absolutely wonderful and a great role model for women across the country and it would be amazing kudos. She’s always wanted to chat to her about life in the Royal family, about raising a family and about the campaigns and charity work she does.
“But now that looks unlikely. It’s dead in the water, to be honest. Holly’s not daft. She knows it will be hard for This Morning to get big Royal interviews like that after the furore over the Queen’s queue.”