Holly Willoughby is the new Queen Bee of This Morning: New trailer portrays presenter as show’s big hitter

For more than thirteen years, Holly Willoughby was one half of television’s most golden duo.

But with This Morning returning after Phillip Schofield’s dramatic departure, the presenter is finally the undisputed queen of ITV.

A trailer for the channel’s new daytime schedule, starting Monday, shows Mrs Willoughby smiling for the cameras as she gets ready to head to the famous This Morning bank.

The choice to feature the presenter on her own sends a clear message that she is ‘Queen Bee’, ITV insiders say.

One told The Mail on Sunday: ‘Holly is the future and ITV wanted to make that clear. It is a clear sign that she is at the helm and that the other presenters will join her.

“It’s a brand new start for This Morning, the scandal could have wrecked it, but it managed to keep going. There’s a lot of excitement.’

Mrs Willoughby, 42, appears twice in the trailer, which also advertises Good Morning Britain, Lorraine and Loose Women.

Her solo appearance in the trailer is a stark contrast to promotional material from previous years, which featured her alongside Schofield as the joint stars of This Morning.

She is also conspicuously absent from Alison Hammond, who will become her regular co-host. Instead, Ms. Hammond, 48, is shown with Dermot O’Leary, with whom she hosts the Friday edition of This Morning.

The two women first presented side by side in March, when Schofield was forced to stay off the air for a while during his brother’s sexual assault trial.

ITV bosses have raved about the chemistry between the pair, with sources describing the presenters as a ‘total joy’. Feedback on social media confirmed that the duo was also popular with fans.

Since Schofield’s departure in May, Ms Willoughby has been lobbying for more regular co-presenting with Ms Hammond

ITV bosses have raved about the chemistry between the pair, with sources describing the presenters as a ‘total joy’

Since Schofield’s departure in May, Ms Willoughby has been lobbying to present more regularly alongside Ms Hammond, whom she considers a close friend.

Along with Ms Hammond, Ms Willoughby will be joined by a rotation of hosts including Mr O’Leary, Josie Gibson, Craig Doyle and newcomer Steve Jones when she returns from her summer break.

Her return to screens tomorrow comes after she signed a new deal with ITV in the wake of Schofield’s departure.

The contract is said to include an “increase” from her previous salary of £700,000 a year, although sources close to the star have dismissed a reported £1million figure as a “fabrication”.

Schofield was kicked out of This Morning after his argument with Mrs Willoughby.

He later quit ITV after admitting to having a relationship with a much younger male colleague and lying to the paper about it.