Phillip Schofield wants to tough out Holly Willoughby controversy but its out of his hands

2023-05-14

Rumours of a feud between This Morning hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby have continued to circulate, and it's now been claimed that Phillip wants to "tough out" the controversy.

Phillip, 61, and Holly, 42, who looked downcast as she was seen for the first time amid her 'feud' with Phillip, are believed to not be as close as they once were, with reports claiming that he and Holly are"barely speaking" off-camera at the moment.

He also released a statement earlier this week saying they'd both had a "difficult few weeks" but branded Holly his "rock".

The pair's future as hosts of This Morning, which they've presented together since 2009, is said to be uncertain, and a source has now claimed that Holly and Phil have a "massive week" coming up as they fight to keep their spots on the ITV daytime show.

A source told the Mirror: “He will think he can tough it out, like he has previous controversies such as Queue-gate. But to be honest, it’s out of his hands.

"If the viewers don’t believe in him and Holly, something’s got to give – and that will most likely be Phil. It’s a massive week for them both.”

The relationship between Holly and Phil is said to be becoming "increasingly fraught" due to the anonymous briefings being set out in the media over recent days.

“Both swear blind they aren’t authorising friends to speak on their behalf. But there is increasing paranoia that someone is perhaps not telling the truth," a source said. "It’s a total mess, and no-one knows who to believe anymore.”

Both Holly and Phillip's This Morning contracts run out at the end of 2023, with renewal negotiations scheduled to begin at the start of the summer. If the pair face backlash from viewers, it remains to be seen if ITV will attempt to enforce changes to the show before then.

Holly is said to be one step ahead however, and has already asked her team to contact ITV bosses in an attempt to speed up any decisions being made about their futures on the show, according to the Mirror.

“Holly was considering her position on the show earlier this year,” a source told the publication.

Of Phil, the source continued: “But that is now a real possibility and she wants to see a decision made on both of their futures quickly. That is what is behind Holly asking her team to reach out to ITV – she is trying to move things forward.”

The source added that Holly allegedly sees her distancing from Phil as a potential opportunity to be able to rebrand herself as a “woman’s woman” and that she could present the popular daytime show with Alison Hammond – who is another regular presenter on the programme.

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