Skip to main contentSkip to footer
holly and phil serious© Photo: Rex

Holly Willoughby breaks silence following Eamonn Holmes' comments about Phillip Schofield

The This Morning star praised her co-presenter

Nicky Morris
TV and film writer
February 21, 2022
Share this:

Holly Willoughby has given a loving tribute to her This Morning co-host Phillip Schofield to mark 40 years of him being on TV. 

MORE: Eamonn Holmes breaks silence after defending Ruth Langsford following Phillip Schofield 'snub'

The mum-of-three's comments praising the "generous, kind and patient" presenter come after Eamonn Holmes claimed Phillip was "renowned for snubbing people" in an interview with the Daily Mail's Weekend magazine.

WATCH: Holly Willoughby's incredible high street style

Appearing on Lorraine Kelly's morning show in a special segment dedicated to Phillip, Holly revealed that Phillip pushed for her to join This Morning following Fern Britton's exit in 2009, believing that she was the "only one" who could do the job. 

"I don't know why you were so convinced of that," said Holly. "I thank you every day because I know that, really, you were on your own with that school of thought and it was really down to you standing by that, that I got that job. 

MORE: Holly Willoughby's surprising diet: Dancing on Ice host's breakfast, lunch and dinner menus

MORE: This Morning stars' private homes: Holly Willoughby, Alison Hammond and more

"Without a doubt, it if wasn't for you, there is no way that I'd be doing This Morning today and I came onto the show and I was green and new. I knew how to do a bit of tele because I'd done Saturday morning but This Morning is a huge, grown-up, important, big tele show and I just sat there like a sponge and absorbed everything and learn everything. 

View post on Instagram
 

Phillip Schofield is celebrating 40 years on TV

The presenter also added: "[Phillip is] so generous, so kind, so patient, willing to guide me through. He still does it now, I'll still look at him and go, 'You do this bit,' and he never looks at me like, 'Really? Come on.'"

Holly's loving tribute comes just days after Eamonn Holmes called out Phillip for "snubbing" his wife, Ruth Langsford, after he cut her off during a trailer for Loose Women on This Morning in 2019.

eamonn and ruth© Photo: Rex

Eamonn Holmes called out Phillip for snubbing his wife, Ruth Langsford

"Phillip is renowned for snubbing people," he told the magazine. "He's very passive-aggressive. It's up to Ruth to say how she felt, but I was feeling hurt for her. No one would have snubbed me like that."

He added: "I have a good Belfast street fighter in me… I would be direct. I don't go for presenters who think they have a special privilege or aura or influence."

Like this story? Sign up to our What to Watch newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.

Sign up to Off Camera for all the gossip and goings-on from the wonderful world of TV and film

By entering your details, you are agreeing to HELLO! Magazine User Data Protection Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information, please click here.

More TV and Film

See more