Holly Willoughby quit This Morning because 'it wasn't the same'
after co-host Phillip Schofield left, but she was finally 'tipped over
the edge' by 'kidnap and murder' plot, insiders reveal, as ITV show
descends into chaos ahead of relaunch next year
By Natasha Anderson and Katie Hind, Consultant Editor, Showbusiness
Holly Willoughby quit This Morning because the show 'wasn't the same' after her co-host Phillip Schofield left but was finally 'tipped over the edge' by an alleged 'kidnap and murder plot', insiders have claimed.
Ms
Willoughby, 42, tonight announced that she 'will not be returning' to
the show. She said it was an 'honour to just be part of its story' over
the last 14 years but that she feels 'I have to make this decision for
me and my family'.
The ITV
presenter, acknowledging that leaving is 'such a difficult goodbye',
thanked the network for 'being supportive'. She also expressed her
gratitude to the 'wonderful viewers' that she says have been 'loyal, so
supportive and the very best company' over the years.
Her
exit from the show comes after a former Pizza Hut worker was remanded
in custody last week charged over an alleged plot to kidnap and murder
Ms Willoughby.
Gavin Plumb, 36, from
Harlow, Essex, is accused of offences including soliciting to commit
murder and incitement to commit kidnap in relation to the broadcaster.
Holly Willoughby has quit ITV 's
This Morning after 14 years. She is pictured during her last appearance
on the show with co-star Josie Gibson
Ms Willoughby makes her debut as a presenter with Phillip Schofield on This Morning in 2009
The presenter took to Instagram today to confirm she 'will not be returning' to the show
Gavin
Plumb, 36, appeared in the dock at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on
Friday accused of soliciting to commit murder and incitement to commit
kidnap
Holly out in London walking her dog last month
Insiders have now told
MailOnline that the alleged plot pushed Ms Willoughby to quit, but added
that it had been in chaos since Mr Schofield's exit.
This Morning has due to be relaunched in January with Ms Willoughby and a new host, sources say. Good Morning Britain's Ben Shephard was believed to be the favourite to replace Mr Schofield.
The
TV presenter pulled out of hosting This Morning on Thursday and her
London home was reportedly being guarded by police after Plumb was
arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of conspiracy to kidnap.
Ms
Willoughby's full statement today said: 'I have let ITV know today that
after 14 years, I will not be returning to This Morning.
'To
everyone who has ever worked on the show over the years, thank you so
so much. This is such a difficult goodbye, you are incredible and I
forever will be proud of what we've done together.
'Thank
you to everyone at ITV for being supportive. To every guest who has sat
on our sofa, thank you. Most of all, thank you to the wonderful
viewers. You've been so loyal, so supportive and the very best company
every day.
'Richard and Judy said we
only look after this show, it will always belong to the viewers'. It's
been an honour to just be part of it's story and I know this story has
many chapters left to go. Sadly, however, I now feel I have to make this
decision for me and my family.
'I will miss you all so much.'
An
ITV boss said the broadcaster is looking forward to working with Ms
Willoughby 'in the future' following the news she is quitting This
Morning.
In a statement, Kevin Lygo,
managing director of media and entertainment at ITV, told MailOnline:
'We are sad that Holly is leaving This Morning, but respect her decision
which we know will have been extremely difficult for her to make.
'Holly
is one of the best loved, respected and most accomplished broadcasters
in the UK. She has been at the heart of This Morning for the past 14
years, and she is adored by our viewers.'
Holly Willoughby is pictured in July as she runs errands during her summer holiday in Portugal
Pictured: This Morning presenters
(back row left to right) Gok Wan, Lisa Snowdon, (front row left to
right) Bryony Blake, Rylan Clark-Neal, Holly Willoughby, Phillip
Schofield and Alison Hammond in March 2018
An ITV boss said the broadcaster
is looking forward to working with Ms Willoughby 'in the future'
following the news she is quitting This Morning. The TV star is pictured
at the Pride of Britain Awards in October 2018
Emma Gormley (right), Managing Director of ITV Daytime, said ITV have been in 'constant contact' with Holly
Mr
Lygo added: 'Holly has brought her unique brand of warmth, energy,
humour and fun to one of the country's most popular daytime shows, and
everyone on the programme will miss her enormously.
'She remains a much loved member of the ITV family and we look forward to continuing to work with her in the future.'
Ms Willoughby's This Morning family has rallied behind her in wake of her shock exit from the programme.
Alison Hammond said 'this is a very sad day' but reiterated that she loved the presenter.
Juliet
Sear, TV cook and baking expert, posted that she was 'sad' to see Holly
go, but also wished her 'loads of positive things' in her 'new
chapter'.
'It's been wonderful working
with you for the last 8 years and making your birthday cakes to for the
last 14,' Ms Sear wrote. 'Lots of love to you and you family.'
Vanessa Feltz added: 'We will miss you so very much my darling.'
Plumb is pictured in a court sketch appearing at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on Friday
Phillip Schofield has reportedly
lent his support to former co-presenter Holly Willoughby. The pair are
pictured together in August 2022
Ms Willoughby is pictured on This Morning on September 25 this year
Plumb
on Friday was charged with soliciting a man named David Nelson to
commit murder, and incitement to commit kidnap between October 2 and 5
in Harlow, Essex.
Emma Gormley, Managing Director of ITV Daytime, wrote to staff after Plumb was arrested last Wednesday and then charged, MailOnline revealed yesterday.
Holly Willoughby's This Morning colleagues Alison Hammond and Rochelle Humes lead tributes to the star as she quits ITV show: READ MORE
'Sad
day': Holly Willoughby's This Morning colleagues have rallied behind
her as she announces she has quit the ITV show with immediate effect.
She
said: 'Inevitably there is already speculation about when Holly will
return. However, our priority right now is the safety and well being of
Holly and her family. I wanted to reassure you that throughout this
distressing time, we have been in constant contact with Holly and the
authorities and we are providing all the support we can'.
Ms Willoughby was said to have been left 'shocked and distraught' when she was told about the plot shortly before she was due to go on air.
Emma
Gormley said: 'I know many of you have been deeply affected by the
events of last week. As you will know, an individual has now been
charged.
'As always, the incredible
production team at This Morning and the Daytime Crew have remained calm,
professional and focused throughout this unsettling time and I want to
thank them for being the best in the business. If anyone feels they need
any support, please do reach out to me'.
Plumb
is a security guard at Pinnacles Shopping Centre in Harlow and appeared
before Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on Friday wearing a green t-shirt
with the slogan 'Aged to Perfection'. He spoke only to confirm his name,
date of birth and address.
Police
chiefs had alerted ITV bosses to the alleged plot early Thursday and the
presenter was told shortly before she was due to go on air. It was
decided she should pull out and Ms Hammond was called in to present
alongside host Josie Gibson.
On This
Morning on Friday, presenter Dermot O'Leary addressed the alleged plot,
saying: 'We are not going to talk too much about it but Holly is on the
front pages after police arrested a 36-year-old man over an alleged
kidnap plot. He has now been charged by Essex Police.'
Co-presenter
Ms Hammond said: 'We are obviously all shocked to hear the news and we
want to send our love and biggest hugs to Holly and her family.'
Holly Willoughby is pictured at the National Television Awards in October 2022
Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield are pictured together in January this year
Holly and Phil pictured broadcasting This Morning together in May 2023
Another
presenter, Lorraine Kelly, told viewers: '[It's] very, very upsetting,
and of course we are sending Holly all of our love and best wishes.
That's a terrible thing to be having to go through for her and her family.'
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also offered his support to Ms Willoughby while appearing for an interview on This Morning.
'I
was so sorry to hear about everything going on with Holly and I wanted
to send my best to her and her family and to all of you,' he said.
Following
news of the alleged plot, Ms Willoughby's former co-host, Phillip
Schofield reportedly contacted her the first time in five month to share
his well wishes.
The pair had been
close friends and co-hosts on ITV's This Morning for 14 years until Mr
Schofield left in May after admitting to having had an affair with a
younger male member of staff, which he initially lied about.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also
offered his support to Ms Willoughby while appearing for an interview on
This Morning last week. He is pictured on the show with Dermot O'Leary
and Alison Hammond
Phillip Schofield, 61, resigned
from ITV earlier this year and was dropped by his agency YMU after
admitting to an 'unwise, but not illegal' affair with a younger male
colleague
The
presenting duo had not spoken since his departure with rumours of a
rift fuelled by his and his two adult daughters unfollowing her on
social media.
However, Mr Schofield broke the ice because he was 'horrified' by the allegations about the plot to target her.
'Holly and Phil's friendship was so close before the events of this year,' a source told The Mirror.
'I
was so sorry to hear about everything going on with Holly and I wanted
to send my best to her and her family and to all of you,' he said.
An
external review of the facts after Mr Schofield's departure is
currently under way and ITV bosses have said both the host and his
former lover 'repeatedly denied' allegations of a relationship until the
star quit ITV and formally apologised.
His
departure came after weeks of speculation of a feud with Ms Willoughby,
who said at the time she would remain on the show but is taking early
half-term holiday leave.
She took to
Instagram at the time saying Mr Schofield's admission about his
relationship with a younger ITV colleague was 'very hurtful'.
She
said: 'When reports of this relationship first surfaced, I asked Phil
directly if this was true and was told it was not. It's been very
hurtful to now find out that this was a lie.'
Holly Willoughby pictured on her
final show with Josie Gibson last Wednesday - less than a week before
she dramatically quit the ITV show
Holly Willoughby and husband Daniel Baldwin share three children. The couple are pictured together
Good Morning Britain's Ben
Shephard was the favourite to replace Phillip Schofield on ITV This
Morning, sources claim. He is pictured with Holly Willoughby last month
Ms Willoughby
rose from her roots in children's television to become the queen of
daytime TV before announcing tonight that she would leave This Morning.
The
presenter first entered the limelight when she was scouted by a
modelling agency as a teenager. She broke into television in the
noughties when she starred in CITV show S Club TV, a spin-off drama
based on the lives of pop group S Club 7.
Later, Willoughby began hosting children's game show Xchange and the children's version of talent show Fame Academy for the BBC.
She
jumped ship in 2004 to ITV so she could present Saturday morning
children's show Ministry Of Mayhem alongside Stephen Mulhern before
taking over from Cat Deeley on children's music chart show CD:UK.
ITV
bosses handed her a presenting slot on newly launched Dancing On Ice in
2006, which saw her matched with Mr Schofield for the first time, with
the pair's on-screen warm chemistry providing a glimpse into what was to
come on This Morning.
She first shared
the sofa with Schofield in 2009, after the departure of Fern Britton,
which saw the pair's friendship blossom earning them Bafta and National
Television Awards gongs.
In 2016, they
famously appeared on air in the outfits they had worn the previous night
at the NTAs and shared stories with viewers from a raucous after-party
hosted by Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly.
The
presenters' close bond appeared to be cemented even further in 2020
after Mr Schofield came out as gay in an emotional on-air chat with Ms
Willoughby.
He later thanked Ms Willoughby and said he 'couldn't have done that with anyone else ... sitting by the side of me'.
In
2022, the co-hosts faced criticism over claims they skipped the queue
for the late Queen's lying-in-state while attending as members of the
media to film a segment for This Morning.
The
chief executive of ITV, Dame Carolyn McCall, defended the pair in
September last year saying they had been 'misrepresented' over claims
they jumped the queue.
Last year Holly Willoughby and
Phillip Schofield faced criticism over claims they skipped the queue for
the late Queen's lying-in-state while attending as members of the media
to film a segment for This Morning
Sad: ITV has just lost one of the
most iconic presenters on daytime television since Holly Willoughby,
42, (pictured last month) made the decision to quit the show after 14
years
Will
go down in history: Holly's post-National Television Award hangover
live on This Morning in 2016 have become the stuff of side-splitting
legend over the past decade with Phil
Following
the departure of Mr Schofield, Ms Willoughby shared the couch alongside
Josie Gibson and Craig Doyle as Mr O'Leary and Ms Hammond continued to
provide holiday and Friday cover on the show.
Ms
Willoughby's return to the show in June was highly anticipated and
marked her first on-screen appearance since Schofield left ITV in May.
The
episode was watched by an average of 839,000 viewers, the highest daily
average for the show since the coronation bank holiday on May 8. It was
also above the three-month average of 703,000.
The
peak audience for Monday's show - the highest number of viewers
watching at any one time - was 1.6 million, nearly double the average
for the whole programme.
Ms Willoughby
has had a number of other TV roles, including co-hosting I'm A
Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! in 2018, stepping in for Anthony
McPartlin who took a break from ITV commitments and public appearances
following a drink-driving conviction, which saw him banned from the road
for 20 months and fined £86,000.
She has three children, Belle, Harry and Chester, with husband Daniel Baldwin, whom she married in 2007.
In
a dramatic year for daytime TV staple This Morning, Phillip Schofield
and Holly Willoughby have both now left the sofa that they had shared
together for more than 10 years.
Schofield's
fall from grace was swift following him admitting to an affair with a
much younger male colleague while still married to his wife and losing
his talent representation before departing from ITV altogether.
Willoughby
said her decision in October was to spend more time 'for me and my
family' and the broadcaster's managing director for media and
entertainment Kevin Lygo has said she 'remains a much-loved member of
the ITV family' and that he hopes to work with her in the future.
Here is a timeline of how events unfolded:
– February 2020:
Schofield comes out as gay after nearly 27 years of marriage to wife
Stephanie, in an emotional on-air chat with co-host and long-time friend
Willoughby. The pair embrace on the sofa.
Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield have both faced criticism
September 2022:
The co-hosts face criticism over claims they skipped the queue for
Queen Elizabeth II's lying in state while attending as members of the
media to film a segment for This Morning.
April 17 2023:
The first hint something might be wrong comes in the first show after
the Easter break. Schofield and Willoughby should both be on the sofa
after he took leave while his brother Timothy was on trial for child sex
offences. While Schofield is back in the studio, Willoughby is absent,
saying she has shingles.
May 10: The Sun reports the pair are 'barely speaking'.
May 11: Schofield calls Holly 'his rock' and says they are 'the best of friends'.
May 15: The pair put on a united front on This Morning and make no reference to stories in the press about their relationship.
May 18: Schofield presents what will turn out to be his last episode of This Morning.
May 20:
Schofield steps down from This Morning with immediate effect. ITV says
he will continue to present 'peak-time shows', including The British
Soap Awards and a new prime-time series. Willoughby releases a statement
saying the sofa 'won't feel the same without him'.
Presenters Dermot O´Leary and Alison Hammond
May 21:
It is announced that Dermot O'Leary and Alison Hammond will host the
show on Monday May 22, as Willoughby takes early half-term leave. It is
announced she will return to hosting duties on June 5.
May 22:
O'Leary and Hammond host the show and hail Schofield as 'one of the
best live television broadcasters this country has ever had'.
May 26:
Schofield admits to an 'unwise but not illegal' affair with a much
younger male colleague and resigns from ITV. He confirms the
relationship began while he was still with his wife and says he will not
be hosting the British Soap Awards, his last public commitment. He
apologises for lying about the relationship. He is dropped by his talent
agency YMU.
May 27:
Willoughby accuses Schofield of lying to her about the affair, saying
his admission is 'very hurtful'. ITV says the broadcaster was 'not
provided with, and did not find, any evidence of a relationship beyond
hearsay and rumour' when it looked into the matter in 2020.
May 28:
Former This Morning resident doctor Dr Ranj Singh says the show is
'toxic', adding he raised concerns about 'bullying and discrimination'
two years ago when he worked there and afterwards felt like he was
'managed out' for whistleblowing. ITV responds by saying an external and
independent adviser was appointed to carry out a review after the
complaint, which found 'no evidence of bullying or discrimination'.
Dame Carolyn McCall, chief executive of ITV
May 29:
Schofield releases a statement denying 'toxicity' at This Morning and
says 'it's the same handful of people with a grudge against me or the
show who seem to have the loudest voice'. Former This Morning presenter
Eamonn Holmes alleges there was a 'total cover-up' at ITV over the
affair and, in an interview on GB News, says Willoughby should follow
Schofield 'out the door'.
May 31:
In a letter, seen by the PA news agency, ITV's chief executive Dame
Carolyn McCall says the broadcaster has instructed a barrister to
conduct an external review of how it has handled Schofield's affair. She
adds that Jane Mulcahy KC, of Blackstone Chambers, will 'carry out an
external review to establish the facts'.
June 1:
Dame Carolyn is called to give evidence to a parliamentary committee on
June 14 to answer questions about the broadcaster's approach to
safeguarding and complaint handling after the departure of Schofield.
The
Sun publishes an interview with Schofield in which he says he is sorry
to Willoughby but owes his 'greatest apology' to his former lover. He
reiterates that he did not 'groom' the man, and that although his wife
was 'very, very angry' about the affair, his daughters have been
'guarding' him during the fallout.
June 2: The
BBC airs its own interview with Schofield, conducted by media editor
Amol Rajan. Schofield says he has 'lost everything' and the affair has
had a 'catastrophic effect' on his mind. Speaking about the criticism he
has faced he says he can see 'nothing ahead' except 'blackness and
sadness' and now speaks about his career in television 'in the past
tense'. Schofield also urges the media to leave the younger man alone.
June 5:
Willoughby makes an emotional return to This Morning, saying she felt
'shaken, troubled, let down and worried' following the revelations about
Schofield. The episode was watched by an average of 839,000 viewers,
the highest daily average for the show since the coronation bank holiday
on May 8, and had a peak audience of 1.6 million.
June 14:
ITV boss Dame Carolyn is questioned by MPs alongside ITV managing
director Kevin Lygo and general counsel and company secretary Kyla
Mullins about Schofield's exit. Dame Carolyn tells the Culture, Media
and Sport (CMS) Committee that the broadcaster does not recognise
allegations of a toxic culture at This Morning, saying 'it deeply
disappoints me'.
September 5:
This Morning loses its best daytime show title at the National
Television Awards to The Repair Shop following being on a winning streak
in the daytime category for the last number of years.
September 13:
Dame Carolyn updates the CMS committee to say the external review is
being led by Jane Mulcahy KC and she has 'conducted multiple witness
interviews, with further interviews set to continue during the course of
September'.
October 6:
A shopping centre security officer is remanded in custody over an
alleged plot to kidnap and murder Willoughby. Gavin Plumb, 36, was
charged at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court with soliciting a man named
David Nelson to commit murder, and incitement to commit kidnap between
October 2 and 5 in Harlow, Essex. The other man was due to arrive in the
UK the following week from the US, the court heard.
October 10:
Willoughby announces she is stepping down from presenting This Morning
after 14 years saying on Instagram that it was an 'honour to just be
part of its story'. Following Willoughby's announcement, Mr Lygo said:
'She remains a much loved member of the ITV family and we look forward
to continuing to work with her in the future.'
