Holly and Phillip's broken friendship - affair hurt to devastating final text
They had been co-presenters and best friends for more than 17 years, but after Phillip Schofield stepped down from This Morning last May, his long-running friendship with Holly Willoughby quickly crumbled.
Eight months on from the scandal, Holly is now gearing up for a "new year and a new start" as she returns to Dancing On Ice this Sunday after a drama-filled 2023. However, her former ITV co-star Phillip is still laying low after his affair scandal came to light last May.
Viewers of This Morning witnessed the ITV show's most tumultuous year to date in 2023, following claims of a "toxic" work culture after the shock departure of Phillip. The 61-year-old presenter resigned from the ITV show after 21 years, on the back of his admission of an 'unwise but not illegal' affair with a much younger male colleague.
It was Phil's admission to the affair that started the downward spiral in his friendship with Holly, as she admitted that she felt 'blindsided' by Phil's confession having asked him several times if the rumours were true. Holly insisted that Phillip had denied the allegations made, and so put her trust in her best friend.
Early cracks in their crumbling friendship
Holly Willoughby appeared ‘uncomfortable’ alongside Philip Schofield (ITV)However, some This Morning viewers noticed a 'rift' between Holly and Phillip in the weeks leading up to Phillip's shock departure. At the time, some viewers pointed out that Holly wasn't her usual self while presenting the show with Phil, and looked 'rather uncomfortable' presenting alongside him during one particular instalment in April. The episode aired just days before Phillip's brother, Timothy Schofield was jailed for 12 years over child sex offences.
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At the time, sources claimed that Holly and Phil were "separate entities" and their seemingly impenetrable partnership had "cooled". After 14 years of on-screen and off-screen friendship, it looked like Holly and Phil's close bond was coming to a rapid end last year, and the signs were becoming more clear that the foundation of their friendship had collapsed.
Holly left 'blindsided' by Phillip's actions
Holly was left blindsided by Phil's actions (BBC)Amid the ongoing rumours, Phillip shut down suggestions of a feud and described Holly as his "rock" during some of the most stressful times in his life. However, it later emerged that Holly had no idea her co-host was planning on releasing a statement and saw her friend's kind words for the first time when it was published online.
In a statement to The Sun, Phillip shut down any suggestion that his friendship with Holly had suffered. He said: "The last few weeks haven't been easy for either of us. My family went through a real ordeal. And Holly's support throughout meant the world to me, as did the support of my bosses at ITV, my editor Martin Frizell and the whole This Morning family, including our amazing viewers."
Sources close to Holly claim she was "deeply upset" over allegedly being kept in the dark over Phillip's brother Timothy facing child sex offences charges and found out about the trial when her co-star took time off This Morning.
"Holly had to find out from someone else which must have been awful for her. She has been so loyal to him," the source told The Mail. "It has been upsetting for her, they have been pretty inseparable for 14 years. They have been through so much together, some happy and some really tough. But now their once super close friendship is no longer."
Following Phil's statement, it was only a number of days until he resigned from his role on This Morning after his affair with a younger male colleague came to light. In another statement, Phillip confessed the affair as he shared his deep apologies with his This Morning team, and Holly.
Holly is 'deeply hurt' by Phillip's lies
Holly was left deeply hurt by Phil's lies (ITV)Phillip said: "The first thing I want to say is: I am deeply sorry for having lied to them, and to many others about a relationship that I had with someone working on This Morning. I did have a consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague at This Morning. Contrary to speculation, whilst I met the man when he was a teenager and was asked to help him to get into television, it was only after he started to work on the show that it became more than just a friendship. That relationship was unwise, but not illegal. It is now over.
"I am painfully conscious that I have lied to my employers at ITV, to my colleagues and friends, to my agents, to the media and therefore the public and most importantly of all to my family. I am so very, very sorry, as I am for having been unfaithful to my wife," he added.
A number of days later, Holly broke her silence on her former TV bestie Phillip's affair. Holly issued the statement on Instagram story to share her 'hurt' over the revelation. The statement read: "It's taken time to process yesterday's news. When reports of this relationship first surfaced, I asked Phil directly if this was true and was told it was not. It's been very hurtful to now find out that this was a lie. Holly."
Phillip's final text to Holly and her heartbreaking response
Phil reached out to Holly (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)After their heartbreaking and bitter fallout, a month later, Phillip opened up about the final ever text message he sent to former best friend Holly - and the heartbreaking response he received. Speaking in two new emotional interviews, Phillip said that he texted Holly at the time that the scandal broke out... but he had received no reply.
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In the interview which took place in June, Phillip said: “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,'" he told The Sun. He added: "And I am. It was the one secret in our sanctuary that was never mentioned.”
Phil remains in 'bad place' as Holly returns to Dancing On Ice
Phil is still laying low and has no plans to return to TV or showbiz (YouTube)As Holly prepares to return to her Dancing On Ice presenting duties after stepping down from This Morning back in October, Phil is still laying low and has no plans to return to TV or showbiz.
Back in October, Holly confirmed her departure from This Morning. Things went from bad to horrifying when an alleged plot to "kidnap and murder" her was uncovered in early October. She decided to take time out away from the spotlight at her London home with TV producer husband Dan Baldwin, 49, and children Harry, 14, Belle, 12, and Chester, eight - and a week later, she announced she would not be returning to This Morning.
But three months on, the TV star has decided to make a return to her ITV duties to present Dancing On Ice alongside Stephen Mulhern - who has snapped up Phil's former role. Meanwhile, Phil's close friends have ruled out him returning to his presenting duties given that he is still not in a great place after the shocking year he endured.
It was reported that Phillip was gearing up for a TV comeback following the publication of ITV's report into his affair with a younger colleague while he was presenting This Morning. Friends close to the fallen star indicated that he had been "dreading" what the review would uncover about his relationship with the junior male colleague, while he was married to Stephanie Lowe, the mother of his two daughters.
The report cleared ITV bosses of a cover-up, after there had been suggestions that they had known about Phillip's affair, which had shocked Holly, who was insistent she had no idea about it when the affair was revealed. Speaking to The Mail on Sunday, a friend of Phil said: "Phillip isn't returning anywhere, he has been in a really bad place since he decided to tell the truth and resign from his job. He has got himself into a cocoon and he is continuing to recover. He has had the report hanging over his head for a long time. It has been a thing of dread for him."
The friend added that now that the review is "out of the way", Phil is hoping to "start to build a life of some kind" but ruled out a return to public life and they indicated that the TV presenter may never be seen on screens again. Phillip said he was "too unwell" to take part in the inquiry, which was led by lawyer Jane Mulcahy KC, and found that only one junior employee admitted knowing about the affair.
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