Everything Holly Willoughby has said about Phillip Schofield's This Morning exit and TV downfall

Phillip Schofield makes his TV return in Channel 5's Phillip Schofield Cast Away, in which the broadcaster spends ten days alone on a small, remote island. The 62-year-old left ITV in May last year after his affair with a younger, male colleague came to light. Phillip had hosted This Morning for 20 years, with 14 of those spent co-presenting with Holly Willoughby, who left the show herself in October last year.

The duo shared a friendship both on and off screen for years but haven't been seen together since Phillip's departure. So, what has Holly said about the scandal? Here's what we know...

Holly's comments after Phillip's affair was revealed

After Phillip stepped down as co-host of This Morning, Holly released a brief statement which read: “Hi everyone... It's been over 13 great years presenting This Morning with Phil and I want to take this opportunity to thank him for all of his knowledge, his experience and his humour. The sofa won't feel the same without him."

She issued another statement after Phillip admitted to having a “consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague”, writing: "It's taken time to process yesterday's news. 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 find out that was a lie. Holly."

Holly 'didn't reply' to Phillp's text message

During an interview with the BBC following his ITV exit, Phillip revealed that he reached out to Holly via text. "I WhatsApped her on the day I put out the statement. I said that you don't have to reply, you probably can't, but I want to say I'm desperately, desperately sorry."

He added to The Sun: "I let her down. I let that entire show down. I let the viewers down. Holly did not know and she was one of the first texts that I sent, to say: 'I am so, so sorry that I lied to you'. She didn’t reply and I understand why she didn’t reply as well. So yeah, if anyone is in any way linking Holly to this, that is ­absolutely, wholly untrue."

You may also like

• Holly Willoughby just wore a mini dress to celebrate special birthday

• Holly Willoughby's lush garden at £3m townhouse is blooming - rare photos

• Phillip Schofield's £2m bachelor pad he swapped for remote island – best photos

• Inside Fern Britton's feud with Phillip Schofield: Everything she's said about former This Morning co-star

Holly said she felt 'let down' by Phillip

Upon her return to This Morning in June 2023 following a two-week break, Holly said she felt let down by Phillip after the news of his affair with a younger colleague was revealed.

"I imagine you might have been feeling like I have, worried, shaken, troubled, let down and full of questions," she told viewers. "You, me and everyone here put our trust in someone who was not telling the truth, who acted in a way that they themselves felt that they had to resign from ITV and step down from a career that they loved.

"That is a lot to process. It's equally hard to see the toll it's taken on their own mental health. I think what unites us all now is a desire to heal for the health and well being of everyone. I hope that as we start this new chapter and get back to a place of warmth and magic that the show holds for all of us, we can find strength in each other. From my heart, thank you for all of your kind messages."