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Phillip Schofield breaks silence over Holly Willoughby tension and says it 'hasn't been easy'
12 May 2023, 07:52 | Updated: 12 May 2023, 09:01
This Morning star Phillip Schofield has released a statement over his rumoured ‘feud’ with co-star Holly Willoughby.
Phillip Schofield has spoken out after it was reported he’s ‘barely speaking’ to his This Morning co-star Holly Willoughby.
Reports previously suggested their friendship had ‘cooled off’, with Holly making it clear she wants to continue working on This Morning, even if Phillip decides to leave.
Phillip has also taken some time away from his presenting duties after his brother was convicted of 11 sexual offences against a child and sent to prison.
Opening up about going through a tough time, Phillip told The Sun: "The last few weeks haven’t been easy for either of us. My family went through a real ordeal.
"As I have said before, Holly is my rock. We're the best of friends - as always, she is an incredible support on screen, behind the scenes and on the phone.
“Holly has always been there for me through thick and thin, and I've been there for her.
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He went on to say Holly's support ‘meant the world’, as he added: “As did the support of my bosses at ITV, my editor Martin Frizell and the whole This Morning family, including our amazing followers. And of course Holly has herself been ill with shingles."
Holly and Phil have been best friends since they first hosted Dancing on Ice together back in 2006.
But there have been rumours the pair have drifted over the past few months, with an insider telling The Sun: “Holly adores This Morning and for the first time in 14 years she has made it clear that should Phil ever leave she would want to stay. They are separate entities.
"To those around them on set, it has become clear recently that Holly and Phil are not as close as they once were. Professionally you would have no idea there was anything going on because on camera they are acting exactly the same."
The source added: "But behind the scenes their relationship has cooled. Before there would be a lot of banter and camaraderie off-camera but that has dwindled.”
Phil Schofield returns to This Morning after brother's criminal conviction
Fans also noticed Holly had removed a message about her friend from her Twitter bio, with the message “I was introduced to this by a Twitter legend,” being deleted.
Holly has also not posted anything with Phil on her Instagram for more than two months, while they allegedly ‘failed to acknowledge each other’ - according to The Sun - at Leigh Francis’s 50th birthday party.
