Phillip Schofield announced on Saturday that he would be stepping down from hosting This Morning after 21 years amid his alleged feud with Holly Willoughby.
The 61-year-old broadcaster said in a statement: ‘I have always taken pride in writing fascinating stories on This Morning. But recently, This Morning itself has become the story.
“During my career in TV – including the very difficult last days – I have always tried my best to be honorable and kind. I understand that ITV has decided that the current situation cannot continue and I want to do what I can to protect the show I love.”
Holly, who remains on the show along with other members of the ITV family, said: ‘It’s been over 13 amazing years presenting This Morning with Phil and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank him for all his knowledge, his experience and his humour. The bank won’t feel the same without him.’
And as Phillip moves on to other primetime television projects, here are some of his most memorable moments on This Morning over the years…
End of the road: Phillip Schofield, 61, announced on Saturday that he would stop hosting This Morning after 21 years amid his alleged feud with Holly Willoughby, 42
Looking back: As Phillip moves on to other primetime television projects, here are some of his most memorable moments on This Morning over the years…
Phillip Schofield comes out as gay
In February 2020, Phillip came out as gay in a lengthy and impassioned social media post before appearing on This Morning to discuss his announcement with his co-host and friend Holly Willoughby, with Phillip breaking down in tears.
After 27 years of marriage to his then-wife Steph, he said he had suffered “inner conflicts” and was ready to “celebrate and be proud of his sexuality.”
Phillip, who shares daughters Molly, 30, and Ruby, 27, with his wife, spoke of his struggle to keep his secret and the relief of coming out.
A supportive Holly told Phil, “I think we all take a deep breath at that point, reading that I can hear your voice, the pain, how hard it is for you, this is a big day.” I know this is something you’ve lived with for a long time.”
Phil responded, “It’s funny because everyone I’ve talked to, and you guys, have all been so supportive and loving and caring, and my whole family has grabbed us to one person and said it’s okay, we love you, we are proud of you…”
Speaking of Holly, Phil added, “This is the sister I never had.”
Holly shared a selfie of the couple behind the scenes on Dancing On Ice on Instagram as she offered her support behind Phil for the show, writing, “Never have I been more proud of my friend than I am now.”
A friend in need: In February 2020, Phillip came out as gay in a lengthy and impassioned social media post before appearing on This Morning to discuss his announcement with Holluy
Phillip and Holly are hungover from the NTAs
They liked to be taken aback and got tipsy every year at the National Television Awards.
In 2016, they won the Live Magazine show award and traditionally drank tequila and partied into the wee hours with the likes of Rylan Clark and Keith Lemon.
The next morning, however, the pair fell a little worse for wear, with Holly coming into work still clad in her glamorous white ballgown, complete with a piccalilli smudge.
Both she and Phillip looked shattered as their silver award gleamed on the table in front of them, as the pair lay flat on the sofa as the show began live on air.
Sitting in his smart black suit and matching tie, Phillip admitted, “We’re actually wrong. We shouldn’t be here, we shouldn’t be doing this.’
Phillip senses Kim Woodburn’s anger
She caused absolute ripples in the Celebrity Big Brother house with her sour tongue and fiery disposition in 2017.
But 81-year-old Kim Woodburn showed she was as passionate as ever, as she had a very heated argument with Phillip during an interview on This Morning in February of the same year, threatening to “crucify him” and give him a . called ‘fake’.
Kim appeared on CBB with Loose Women star Coleen Nolan, and the pair struggled to get along while living together.
Prior to Kim’s interview, Phil and Holly checked into the Loose Women and saw Kim and Coleen together in the link.
When Coleen was asked if she would like to say something to Kim, Coleen smiled and said, “No…” Kim replied, “I feel the same way, honey.”
When Phillip asked what Kim thought when she looked back at some of the footage of her arguing with her Celebrity Big Brother housemates, she said, “I look back sadly that it came to this and I said those things but I’m sorry not. I said them.
“What happened to me, you should have been a saint and I wasn’t. I’ve apologized for using the word that begins with “F” and that’s the only shame I feel.’
Holly, a little nervous, asked Kim, “Why don’t you leave if you don’t like it?”
“Why should I go?” she hit back. “And losing all that money, huge sums of money for those bums. Would you lose a house?’
“How much did you earn?” Phillip asked.
“It has nothing to do with you,” she snapped back. ‘How much do you earn?’
“Well, it has nothing to do with you either,” he replied, looking a little stabbed.
Phil and Holly’s ‘Covid-friendly’ hug
Phillip and Holly enjoyed their first Covid-friendly hug using a plastic screen with built-in sleeves when they reunited on the show after their summer break in September 2020.
Their get-together came after Holly cut short her seven-week family holiday to Portugal so she could quarantine to be ready to return to the show in time.
The pair wore face masks with their own faces on them at the start of the show.
Using the screen, Holly and Phil noted that it had been six months since they could safely hug each other.
The pair were seen putting their hands through plastic sleeves and hugging with a clear plastic wall between them at a time when Covid guidelines advised people to keep at least six feet away from people outside their households.
Safe: Holly and Phillip used a plastic screen with sleeves to have their first hug in six months when they returned to This Morning during the pandemic in September 2020
Waited for this: Phil looked delighted as he walked over to Holly with their arms in their protective sleeves
Phillip’s baby names clash with Katie Hopkins
Media personality Katie Hopkins was invited on This Morning in 2013 to talk about popular baby names, with former Apprentice star Katie criticizing “lower class” kids with names like Chantelle, Charmaine, Chardonnay and Tyler.
“I think you can tell a lot from a name,” Katie said. “For me, there are certain names that I hear and I think “urgh”.
“For me, a name is a shortcut to finding out what grade a child is from and poses the question, “Do I want my kids to play with it?”
“When I hear screams across the playground, ‘Tyler! Come back here.’ It’s the Tylers, the Charmains, the Chantelles, the Chardonnays.”
A stunned Holly interjected, “Listen to what you say. You judge children by names. That’s extraordinary.’
Katie went on to say that she disliked names being chosen based on geographic locations, to which Phillip pointed out that Katie has a daughter named India.
Former Celebrity Big Brother star Katie insisted, “India is a very beautiful name for a very sweet child.”
Phillip hit back, describing Katie’s argument as “a little hollow.”