EXCLUSIVE: Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield were ‘tense’ backstage before posing for an awkward photo on the set of today’s This Morning
Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield were ‘tense’ backstage before posing for an awkward photo on the set of today’s This Morning.
The co-presenters, who have yet to discuss their ongoing on-air feud, all smiled as they hosted Tuesday’s live show, but off-camera they avoided being pictured side by side, as MailOnline’s exclusive photos show.
A source revealed that the duo cleverly maneuvered their newest guests, a James Bond fanatic and filmmaker, into standing on either side of them in a photo taken backstage, fueling further on-set speculation that the relationships between them tense.
An insider said: ‘While Holly and Phil were all smiling as they presented This Morning on Tuesday, they awkwardly avoided being pictured next to each other posing next to one of their guests.
“The tension between them was obvious to those on set today and once the cameras stopped rolling they could barely keep up with their ongoing facade.”
Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield were ‘tense’ backstage before posing for an awkward photo on the set of today’s This Morning
The co-presenters, who have yet to discuss their ongoing on-air feud, all smiled as they hosted Tuesday’s live show, but without a camera they avoided being pictured side by side
A source told MailOnline exclusively that the atmosphere backstage on This Morning today was “tense” as the co-stars interviewed their newest guests
The feuding pair stood apart as they smiled in a photo shared to documentary filmmaker Matthew Bauer’s Instagram profile after his movie The Other Fellow, about real men named James Bond, was promoted on the show.
During Tuesday’s James Bond segment, Holly and Phil spoke to two men who share the same name as 007 and their difficulties growing up with the famous name.
A man named James Bond from Sweden posed among the co-hosts while filmmaker Matthew stood to the Phil’s right.
The awkward photo comes after Dan Wootton revealed that ITV is facing a boycott with A-list stars threatening to stay away from the show amid the ongoing drama.
A TV source told the MailOnline columnist that “no big names will be getting involved in this sh*** show, so you’ll see a succession of stars appearing on This Morning who are already connected to ITV.”
MailOnline revealed today that ratings for the beloved daytime show have plummeted amid reports of Holly and Phil’s strained partnership, with ratings dropping by 170,000 viewers compared to the same show last week.
Viewers criticized the pair’s “fake” relationship, calling for stars like Alison Hammond or Josie Gibson to take over permanently.
Tensions rose behind the scenes following claims that the co-hosts “barely speak” off-screen and Holly is “willing to host the show without him” in the wake of a recent fallout.
The awkward photo comes after Dan Wootton revealed ITV is facing a boycott with A-list stars threatening to stay away from the show amid the ongoing drama
Ratings for the show have plummeted amid reports of Holly and Phil’s tense partnership, with ratings dropping by 170,000 viewers compared to the same show last week
Last week, Phil admitted in a statement that the “last few weeks have not been easy for either of them” following the criminal conviction of his brother Tim, who was found guilty of 11 sex offenses against a child.
Phil’s revelation is said to have left Holly ‘blindsided’ and she had no idea he would publicly comment on the speculation until it was online.
The pair, who have co-hosted This Morning for the past 14 years and also helm the ITV show Dancing On Ice, have reportedly been struggling behind the scenes for months, but Phil ‘refuses to leave the show without a fight’ .
In the wake of recent controversies, the TV veteran has commissioned lawyers and a former showbiz editor from the top red newspaper to help protect his reputation.