Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford snub This Morning Christmas party 'to avoid Phillip Schofield'

8 December 2019, 09:50 | Updated: 7 February 2020, 12:16

The popular husband and wife duo didn't attend the This Morning Christmas party
The popular husband and wife duo didn't attend the This Morning Christmas party. Picture: ITV

Fans had noticed the Friday presenters were missing from a group shot shared from the boozy lunch.

This Morning presenters Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford were missing from their Christmas party amid reports that they decided not to attend in order to avoid Phillip.

READ MORE: Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield let their hair down at very boozy This Morning Christmas party

Regular host Holly Willoughby posted a group photo on Instagram alongside Phillip Schofield, Kem Cetinay, Alice Beer, Phil Vickery, Trinny Woodall and Rochelle Humes, but Eamonn and Ruth, who present the popular daytime show on Fridays and during other presenters' holidays, were nowhere to be seen.

It is the latest in what is reportedly a series of behind-the-scenes rows involving Schofield who has been described as ‘rude’ amid reports that Ruth has made a formal complaint about him.

The photo posted by Holly with the caption: "@thismorning family Christmas... my goodness me I adore you gorgeous bunch" showing the Christmas party in full swing with 23 of the This Morning team sat around a long table adorned with candles and plenty of bottles of wine.

The party, where Phillip gave a speech about the This Morning team being 'family' shows that all may not be as rosy as it seems behind the scenes.

Fans were also quick to take to social media to write about the absence of popular presenters Eamonn and Ruth with one pointing out: "No Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford?"

Another wrote: "Where's Eamonn and Ruth?"

There's apparently a 'toxic atmosphere' on the ITV show with Ruth and Eamonn snubbing Phillip
There's apparently a 'toxic atmosphere' on the ITV show with Ruth and Eamonn snubbing Phillip. Picture: Phil Lewis / Echoes Wire / Barcroft Media via Getty Images

As well as the regular Friday hosts who were missing, Rylan Clark-Neal, Alison Hammond and Gino D'Acampo also weren't in attendance.

The frostiness between Langsford, 59, and Schofield, 57, stems from April when they spoke over each other while she was doing a live preview of Loose Women, which she also hosts. As he cut her off abruptly, saying: "We’re a bit tight for time at this end," she retorted: "I only had about two more words to say, don’t worry."

READ MORE: Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield's 10 best This Morning moments of 2019

Viewers took to social media, with one writing, "How rude of Phil", and another saying, "Ruth looks so p***** off".

Since then, it seems relations between Schofield – who normally co-presents with Holly Willoughby – and Langsford with her husband Holmes have only deteriorated and are at an all-time low.

Representatives for This Morning have been approached for comment.

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