Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield from laughs and friendship to lots of bad blood

Only a few years ago Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby were TV’s golden couple, popular with viewers and fronting more than one primetime show together. As well as hosting iconic daytime series This Morning together for over 14 years, the pair dazzled as co-hosts of Saturday evening show Dancing On Ice – back when it commanded millions of viewers.

It was clear to viewers that Phillip and Holly’s natural onscreen chemistry, which often left them in fits of giggles, was due to their genuine friendship – no mean feat in the shark-infested waters of the competitive television industry.

At the annual National TV Awards, the pair would often arrive in the ITV studios worse for wear after painting the town red following their frequent wins. But the personal friendship and professional partnership all came crashing down on May 18, 2023. They haven’t been seen together publicly since their last show then.

The Mirror looks at the sad demise of what was once the most solid of professional and personal partnerships.

Phil quits and admits ‘I’ve lost my best friend’

Phillip Scofield and Holly Willoughby laughing on This Morning(Image: ITV)

It was May last year when the TV world was rocked as 63-year-old Phillip dramatically “quit” This Morning after admitting to lying about an ‘unwise but not illegal’ affair’ with a 20-year-old runner on the programme.

Along with the scandal, rumours began to swirl about an alleged feud between the former best friends. It came after they were hit with criticism in September 2022, following allegations that they’d queue-jumped while seeing the late Queen Elizabeth II lying in state at Westminster Hall.

Article continues below

Matters between the pair appeared to escalate when Holly, 44, released a statement saying she was left feeling “hurt” after Phil’s “lies” came to light. In a bombshell interview with the BBC, Phil spoke about his last text to Holly before ties were severed.

This Morning’s Holly and Phil in 2022(Image: ITV)

“The last time we had a conversation was when I texted Holly and said, ‘Don’t reply’ – this was after the statement last week – ‘Don’t reply, you’re probably not allowed to, but I am deeply deeply sorry that I lied to you. And I am.” He also told that the affair “was the one secret in our sanctuary that was never mentioned”, adding that he had “lost my best friend”.

Article continues below

Addressing rumours that the mum-of-three knew about the affair, Phillip said: “Holly did not know. And she was one of the first texts that I sent, to say, ‘I am so, so sorry that I lied to you’. She didn’t reply and I understand why she didn’t reply, as well. So yeah. If anyone is in any way linking Holly to this; that is ­absolutely, wholly untrue.”

Phil’s brother sex abuse scandal

Phillip Schofield’s brother Timothy (right) was found guilty of sexual offences against a boy(Image: Instagram Phillip Schofield)

Article continues below

On May 19 2023 Phil’s brother Timothy was jailed for 12 years after being convicted of sexually abusing a vulnerable teenage boy over a three-year period. Initially Holly was reportedly furious that Phil kept her in the dark about the trial.

A friend told the Mirror: “There is a narrative – uncorrected by Holly’s team – that she was blindsided by news of his brother’s court case and was furious with him for keeping her in the dark about it.

‘But that narrative couldn’t be further from the truth.’

But when it became ‘bad for her brand’, it is understood Holly quickly turned her back on the former This Morning star when Timothy went on trial in May.

Phil’s bitterness

Channel 5 Screengrab Phillip Scofield reveals exact moment he told agent he’d been fired from This Morning Cast away(Image: Channel 5)

Article continues below

Initially Phil said he understood Holly’s distance.

He told The Sun: “Quite rightly, when I am in the middle of a s*** show with bad press over something where I have done nothing wrong – in fact, I did everything right – it’s a witch hunt. And that strips that away. Quite rightly, she is going to take a step back and think, ‘I have to step back from this’, and I understand that completely.”

But Holly’s apparent disinterest in patching things up appears to have caused an even wider rift, with Phil making some veiled jibes at his former friend and co-host in the 2024 Channel 5 show Cast Away.

Phil said: “I miss parts of being on TV, certainly. I miss most of it, if I’m honest. But there are bits that I really, really, really don’t miss.”

Though Holly is never mentioned by name, Phil continued: “You learn a lot about people. I don’t miss that. When you throw someone under a bus, you’ve got to have a really bloody good reason to do it.”

In the series Phil spent 10-week stint on an isolated tropical island off the coast of Madagascar.

He also appeared to mock Holly’s cringe moment ‘are you OK?’ intro to viewers on This Morning after he left. Making it clear there is no love lost between the pair these days, Phil was filmed sitting down with his wife Steph and two daughters Molly, 31, and Ruby, 28, for a BBQ in their garden where he jokingly said: “If you’re okay, then we’re okay and I’m okay. Are you okay?”

Then, Phil made a bombshell remark suggesting he was fired from the This Morning sofa rather than leaving by choice after two decades, Phil said: “It’s inconceivable that I would quit [any show that he is on].” In a blunt comment, he added: “I don’t quit. I’m fired. But I never quit.”

In another scene whilst fishing on the island, he could be referring to Holly again when he says: “People who I thought were my friends, just went. And that’s like ‘what the hell?’.

Article continues below

Holly’s revels in ‘witch’ status

Holly Willoughby in ghoulish dress up for Halloween 2015 was reported branded a witch by ex best pal Phil (Image: Splash)

In October 2-24 it was claimed in The Sun, that Phil refers to his former pal Holly, 43, as ‘the witch’, within his inner circle. Friends of the disgraced presenter said Phil felt Holly and a This Morning boss had staged a ‘very well constructed coup’ as the country witnessed his dramatic fall from grace.

Article continues below

According to a source speaking to The Sun, he even uses a hatted hag’s emoji when discussing her with pals if she comes up.

A few days after Phil’s nickname for his ex bestie was reported, Holly seemingly referenced the jibe as she shared a picture of Kate Moss dressed as a witch on the catwalk in the 1990s for a Happy Halloween post.

To add fuel to the fire, the blonde beauty added Donovan’s Season Of The Witch single in the background.

Ice queen Holly’s new year Phil snub

Holly shared photos from the latest wrap party(Image: hollywilloughby/Instagram)

Article continues below

Holly returned to Dancing On Ice this year with Phil’s replacement Stephen Mulhern.

The pair had presented the show since it launched back in 2006. Christine Lampard took over from Holly for three years, before Holly and Phil rejoined in 2018 after a break.

Catchphrase host Stephen permanently joined Holly Willoughby in presenting the sixteenth season of Dancing on Ice in January 2023. However the permanency of his role didn’t last long as the series was axed after this year’s series ended in March.

Following the blow, Holly issued an emotional statement on Instagram, but failed to mention her former co-host Phillip in the statement or feature him in photos. Following Dancing on Ice’ s axe, she shared a behind the scenes photo of the latest series as well as throwback snaps and wrote: “A huge thank you to @itv, The brilliant team, Crew, Celebrities and Everyone who has been part of our Dancing on Ice family over the last 19 years.

Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield during a photo call for Dancing On Ice 2023(Image: PA Archive/PA Images)

“Every year, just when January felt at its greyest, Dancing on Ice arrived like a burst of glittering, dazzling light, warm, joyful, and full of heart… It has been an absolute privilege to work alongside true national treasures Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, and to have a front-row seat to their breathtaking skating.

“Watching them glide across the ice was nothing less than pure magic… A special thanks must also go to Arnica, Deep Heat, Spanx and fake tan, unsung heroes of the rink!

“… I will miss it hugely, but I count myself so lucky to have had it for as long as we did. Finally and most importantly, thank you to you for watching, you’re the BEST! …”

There was no mention of the man that had once championed her as his fellow host for so many years. And it is unlikely given all that has been said that the pair will ever reunite on screen – or be the great friends they once were.