'What Holly Willoughby wants, she gets': This Morning star lines up Alison Hammond to replace Phillip Schofield
20 May 2023, 09:48
Holly Willoughby wants Alison Hammond to take over as her co-presenter from Phillip Schofield on This Morning.
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The pair's relationship appears to be in terminal decline and the off-screen feud went public last week.
They awkwardly got through a week of presenting the show together despite it becoming public knowledge that Holly was effectively no longer speaking with her former close friend.
She has now lined up occasional presenter Alison Hammond, who co-presented with Dermot O'Leary on Friday, according to reports.
The Daily Mail said Holly "has told her bosses of her wish — and ITV agree with her desires".
Those executives will be aware of audience figures, which reportedly dropped from 894,000 to 724,000 at the start of the week.
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By Wednesday, they were averaging 551,000, behind the other ITV daytime shows around their slot.
An insider said: "The bosses have been going to bed dreading getting up in the morning for the past week.
"Not only have they had the fear that things will implode between Holly and Phil, but that nobody will watch them."
Social media users commented about how awkward the pairing was throughout the week.
Phil and Holly reportedly hit the rocks after the public outcry at "queuegate" during the Queen's lying-in-state at Westminster Hall.
Phil later disappeared from screens during his brother Timothy's trial for sexually abusing a boy. He was jailed for 12 years on Friday.
Holly was said to have been blindsided when Phil but out a statement calling her his "rock" and admitting recent weeks had been difficult for them both.
Holly and Ms Hammond both presented while Phil was away.
A source close to Holly said: "Underestimate her at your peril. Holly wants This Morning to be the Holly and Alison show and usually what Holly wants, Holly gets."
