Featured Image Credit: ITV
Topics: TV And Film, Celebrity, Holly Willoughby, Phillip Schofield
Jess Hardiman
This Morning fans are convinced they saw a sign that Holly Willoughby knew Phillip Schofield was leaving the show.
Schofield’s departure from the sofa was announced on Saturday (20 May), with the presenter saying in a statement: "I have always been proud to cover fascinating stories on This Morning. But recently, This Morning itself has become the story.
"Throughout my career in TV – including the very difficult last few days – I have always done my best to be honourable and kind. I understand that ITV has decided the current situation can’t go on, and I want to do what I can to protect the show that I love.
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“So I have agreed to step down from This Morning with immediate effect, in the hope that the show can move forward to a bright future.
"I’d like to thank everyone who has supported me – especially This Morning’s amazing viewers – and I’ll see you all for the Soap Awards next month.”
His former co-host Holly Willoughby also issued a statement on the matter, saying the ‘sofa won’t feel the same without him’.
She added: “It’s been over 13 great years presenting This Morning with Phil and I want to take this opportunity to thank him for all of his knowledge, his experience and his humour.”
A clip from last Wednesday’s show surfaced on social media amid a reported feud between the pair, with viewers claiming Willoughby was visibly leaning away from Schofield as he sat beside her.
Noting Holly's body language, viewers took to Twitter to discuss the way she tilted her body away from him during one particularly uncomfortable segment.
One fan wrote: "#ThisMorning Holly acting so awkward, won't even look at Phil.”
Another joked: "I just saw ten minute[s] of #ThisMorning. It was like watching a hostage situation."
Now that Schofield has left the show, people are looking at the awkward encounter through a different lens.
Re-sharing the clip to TikTok, user @amybluebrill suggested that perhaps Holly knew that she and Phillip were about to part ways.
"She knows something... Body language is off and the look she is giving him," she wrote in the video's caption.
Others agreed that the tension was undeniable, with one saying: "Could not sit further away and still be on the chair.”
Someone else said: "Wow that body language."
Another pointed out that Holly was 'nearly hanging off her seat', while a third agreed: "There's no way this doesn't mean something, like-."