Loose Women star says Holly Willoughby deserves respect This Morning decision

16 October 2023 , 06:01

794     0

Loose Women star says Holly Willoughby deserves respect This Morning decision

Loose Women star Judi Love has said that everyone should show Holly Willoughby respect after she made the tough decision to quit This Morning earlier this month.

Holly, who fronted the ITV daytime programme since 2009, shocked fans when she announced her departure from the show. She had a turbulent year or so after she was first accused, alongside former co-presenter Phillip Schofield, of queue jumping when seeing the late Queen lying in state at Westminster Hall.

She was then heartbroken when she found out that her co-star and close friend, Phillip, lied about an affair he had with a younger male runner on the show which saw the presenter quit ITV altogether, with Holly unfollowing him on social media in the ensuing fallout.

This month, Holly announced her departure from the show in a heartbreaking statement. Now, Judi has weighed in on Holly's decision. Writing in her latest OK! Magazine column, she penned: "Holly Willoughby announced last week that she is stepping down from her presenting role on This Morning after 14 years on air.

Holly has left This Morning after 11 years (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Judi insists that Holly deserves respect (Getty Images)

"That must have been a difficult decision for her after an equally difficult year in the spotlight. We need to respect that, for whatever reason, she is putting a pin in her career and understandably, putting her family first. I wonder if she will still host Dancing On Ice… either way, I wish her all the best in everything she goes on to do next."

Corrie's Sue Cleaver says I'm A Celebrity stint helped her to push boundaries

Holly released an exit statement on Instagram as she said goodbye to her fans. Holly said: "'This is such a difficult goodbye, you are incredible and I forever will be proud of what we've done together. Thank you to everyone at ITV for being supportive.

"To every guest who has sat on our sofa, thank you. Most of all, thank you to the wonderful viewers. You've been so loyal, so supportive and the very best company every day.

"It's been an honour to just be part of its story and I know this story has many chapters left to go. Sadly, however, I now feel I have to make this decision for me and my family. I will miss you all so much."

The bombshell of Holly quitting came a few months after the staff and crew - many of whom had worked on This Morning for more than a decade - were getting back on track following the scandal surrounding Phillip's dramatic departure.

A source recently claimed: "It has been one thing after another. It's like a soap opera and that's OK if you're one of the highly-paid stars getting chauffeured to work and back, but if you're grafting behind the scenes to keep things afloat, it's incredibly frustrating," reports MailOnline.

Susan Knox