A look-back at Holly Willoughby’s iconic moments as she QUITS This Morning: From turning up to the sofa hungover after the NTA’s, hysterically laughing on air to raunchy innuendos
ITV has just lost one of the most iconic presenters on daytime television since Holly Willoughby made the decision to quit the show after 14 years.
The former This Morning presenter, 42, took to Instagram on Tuesday to confirm she will not be returning to the show.
And now the MailOnline have taken a look at the beauty’s most iconic moments on the show, following her sad and shocked departure.
From turning up hungover after the NTA’s in the same frock as the night before with her former colleague Phillip Schofield, to her iconic laugh and raunchy innuendos, Holly has ensured to make the national laugh during her time on the show.
Holly’s down to earth aurora has also stole viewers hearts when in the midst of touching and emotional stories.
Sad: ITV has just lost one of the most iconic presenters on daytime television since Holly Willoughby, 42, made the decision to quit the show after 14 years
Iconic: The former This Morning presenter took to Instagram on Tuesday to confirm she will not be returning to the show
Legend: The MailOnline have taken a look at the beauty’s most iconic moments on the show, following her sad and shocked departure (pictured with Phillip Schofield in 2016)
Holly’s post-NTA hangover
Holly’s post-National Television Award hangover live on This Morning have become the stuff of side-splitting legend over the past decade with Phil.
Over the years, Holly and Phil have left fans in hysterics when they have arrived in an embattled stat with the most iconic happening in 2016.
Nursing sore heads, the pair went straight to work following their night out, in which they celebrated winning Live Magazine show, wearing the same outfits they wore to the bash.
‘Should we be honest?’ Holly said while still wearing her glamorous white gown. ‘I haven’t been home yet. We came straight here.’ Covering up her outfit with a giant cushion, Phillip made a barefoot Holly explain a little secret of hers.
‘I’m covering up mint sauce on my dress,’ she said. ‘This is a lovely dress, but can you see the yellow stains? It’s mustard and piccalilli, before you jump to any conclusions.’ Giggling away, the pair admitted they went to Ant McPartlin’s house after the event, where they played Pie-Face the game.
‘I got mustard and piccalilli in my eye,’ said Holly, before Phillip said he got hit in the face with chilli sauce.
‘We’re in a mess,’ Phillip said on the show the next day. ‘We can only apologise. We celebrated on behalf of each and every one of you. Neither of us should be on television.’
Will go down in history: Holly’s post-National Television Award hangover live on This Morning have become the stuff of side-splitting legend over the past decade with Phil
Hilarious: More recently, Holly come under an unfortunate but hilarious encounter when Ferne McCann’s baby Finty pooped on her live on air
Funny: Only wanting to cuddle the little baby, Finty had a slight explosion on Holly’s lap, which they caught on the AD break
An unfortunate poo explosion
More recently, Holly come under an unfortunate but hilarious encounter when Ferne McCann’s baby Finty pooped on her live on air.
Ferne appeared on the ITV show last month, with Craig Doyle joking that there had been a ‘major incident’ on set before her interview.
Only wanting to cuddle the little baby, Finty had a slight explosion on Holly’s lap, which they caught on the AD break.
Uncontrollable giggles
Holly has also struggled to present after getting a fit of the giggles on This Morning, mostly alongside her former friend Phil.
The hilarity ensued when Holly questioned the giant popcorn on a children’s makeshift Halloween costume believing it was edible, with Phillip, later declaring: ‘We were very unprofessional.’
The pair could hardly keep it together as the youngsters took to the catwalk to show off their spooky costumes, with both having to wipe tears from their eyes as they were laughing so hard.
Another time saw Holly break down in fits of laughter on This Morning after parents sent in their kids’ hilarious drawing fails.
Holly and Phil opened the show by reflecting on one of their most watched YouTube segments, featuring artwork sent in from their fans’ children, which thanks to some unfortunate shapes had a far cruder meaning.
Fun times: Holly has also struggled to present after getting a fit of the giggles on This Morning, mostly alongside her former friend Phil
Uncontrollable: Holly has also struggled to present after getting a fit of the giggles on This Morning, mostly alongside her former friend Phil
Mermaid miss: One was an innocently attempted mermaid which resembled something far more masculine
Innocent mistake: One attempt to draw a her mum wearing a scarf ended up looking like she wasn’t wearing much at all. An amused Holly said: ‘I think scarves are my favourite’
One was an innocently attempted mermaid which resembled something far more masculine.
While attempting to hold back her giggles, Holly said to her co-host: ‘I want to make a coffee book of all these drawings, so when those January blues hit you can just look at it and laugh’.
Holly’s iconic outfits
Another iconic moment in Holly’s ITV past was when she was pictured leaving her home shortly after she first started presenting This Morning.
The presenter has regularly flaunted her fashionable sense of style on the breakfast show, with a constant flow of outfit snaps she shared on Instagram pre-show every morning.
Holly has arrived in style to greet viewers with different outfits every morning and has inspired her fans throughout the years with her stylish wardrobe.
Her exit from the show comes after a former Pizza Hut was remanded in custody last week charged over an alleged plot to kidnap and murder the presenter.
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, allegedly contacting a hitman in the US and booking him flights.
Unrecognisable: Another iconic moment in Holly’s ITV past was when she was pictured leaving her home shortly after she first started presenting This Morning (pictured in 2009)
Gorgeous: The presenter has regularly flaunted her fashionable sense of style on the breakfast show, with a constant flow of outfit snaps she shared on Instagram pre-show every morning
Chic: Holly has arrived in style to greet viewers with different outfits every morning and has inspired her fans throughout the years with her stylish wardrobe
The presenter took to Instagram today to confirm she ‘will not be returning’ to the show
Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court heard how Plumb had ‘weapons’ in his possession and had compiled a ‘restraint kit’ in his alleged aim to kidnap Ms Willoughby. Plumb is pictured in a court sketch appearing at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Friday
Holly’s full statement penned: ‘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 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.’
Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield’s dramatic year on This Morning
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.’
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