Holly Willoughby will reportedly return to This Morning on Monday after being struck down with shingles.
The TV presenter, 42, told her fans she “felt so much better” on Friday, after being out all week while recovering from the illness.
She was due to welcome 61-year-old Phillip Schofield to the ITV daytime show’s famed couch, after he took time off amid his brother Tim’s sexual assault trial.
Former The Saturdays singer Rochelle Humes, 34, stood next to Phillip for Holly after Holly told fans on Sunday she was unwell, but it is believed she will be back next week, according to The sun.
She wrote on Instagram, “Hello… Just want to let you know I may be gone for the rest of the week because I have shingles.
On air: Holly Willoughby, 42, will reportedly return to This Morning on Monday after she was stricken with shingles (pictured last month)
Recovery: The TV presenter told her fans she felt ‘so much better’ on Friday, after being absent all week while recovering from the illness (Holly pictured with her usual co-host Phillip Schofield last month)
‘I’ll be back as soon as I’m better. Big love, Holly xxx’
MailOnline has contacted ITV and a Holly representative for comment.
On Friday, Holly gave fans a health update after she was absent from This Morning due to shingles.
While she didn’t confirm the day, she suggested she’ll be back on screen once she says she’s “feeling so much better.”
The host took to her Instagram Stories to thank fellow This Morning star Dermot O’Leary, 49, for sending her some soup and a Reuben sandwich as she recovered.
Sharing part of her meal, she wrote, “Thank you @dermotoleary for the sweetest delivery of chicken soup and cured beef… just what I needed.”
‘I feel so much better. Thank you all for your good wishes.’
Holly’s confirmation that she was on the mend comes after fans of This Morning predicted she would leave the show after missing Phillip Schofield’s return.
Update: It comes after Holly gave fans a health update after being absent from This Morning for the past week as she battled shingles
‘Sweetest delivery’: The host took to her Instagram Stories on Friday and thanked fellow This Morning star Dermot O’Leary for sending her some soup while she recovers
Bad: Holly explained to her fans on Sunday that she was stricken with shingles, which delayed her return to the daytime program after the Easter break
Rochelle was parachuted in as a replacement for Holly on the 11th hour on Monday after the presenter confirmed she had been stricken with shingles.
With Holly forced to stay home until her symptoms cleared up, Rochelle was there to welcome Phillip back to This Morning after his own long absence.
The presenter was back on the couch for the first time since his pedophile brother Timothy, a former school teacher, was convicted of 11 sex offenses against a boy.
Still, fans took to Twitter to wonder if Holly would ever return to the show, admitting they couldn’t imagine the pair co-hosting for much longer.
Viewers wrote, “Call me cynical, I think we’ve seen the last of the Phil and Holly duo. #this morning’; “Something’s not right there, bet she’s just trying to stay away from Smugfield and earn her brownie points from #ThisMorning viewers?”
‘I don’t think it will be ‘Phil and Holly’ on This Morning for much longer’; “Oh look, Phil’s back, but no Holly.”
Rochelle and Phillip hosted the Thursday episode of the show, while Alison Hammond and Dermot will perform on Friday as usual.
In February, it was claimed that ITV bosses feared Holly could leave ‘This Morning’ after the presenter believed the Queuegate backlash had been ‘mishandled’.
Temporary: Rochelle Humes (left) was dropped on Monday as a replacement for Holly on the eleventh hour to present alongside Phillip for his return to the program
Step back: Phillip had taken time off amid his brother Tim’s sexual assault lawsuit (Timothy Schofield pictured this month)
She and Phillip came under fire last year when they were accused of having ‘VIP access’ to ‘pass the Queen in state’, skipping the queue, an allegation the stars and ITV have both denied.
According to one report, Holly was “devastated” by the public reception and the broadcaster’s “decision to remain silent.”
As a result The mirror confirmed that ITV lacks the ‘confidence’ they previously had with Holly’s contract, which expires in December.
The broadcaster would work on a ‘bumper package’ for the presenter to keep her with the channel.
A source told the publication: ‘The backlash in Queuegate was absolutely devastating for Holly, but what made things worse was the feeling that it had been mishandled.
ITV’s decision to remain silent before finally issuing a statement was frustrating as it felt like they were slamming the door after the horse had bolted.
“Bosses know that last year was incredibly difficult for her and as such they are not approaching her contract negotiations with the same confidence as before.”
A source later told MailOnline: ‘Holly is a much loved, respected and valued member of not just the This Morning team, but the entire ITV family.
‘Since Holly joined 14 years ago, This Morning has been part of the national conversation and one of the UK’s favorite daytime shows, and as one of the country’s leading and most talented presenters, ITV has held Holly in high esteem. the banner.’
In addition, a source close to Holly said she had “no plans” to leave This Morning.