24 July 2023 , 06:08
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Holly Willoughby will be going solo as ITV bosses have reportedly decided not to replace Phillip Schofield on This Morning.
The presenter, 42, is currently on her summer break until September, but she will return to a major shakeup of the show.
Since Phillip Schofield's departure earlier this year, his role has been filled with multiple guest presenters including Josie Gibson, Dermot O'Leary and Craig Doyle.
The rotation of presenters is set to continue as ITV have decided to not spend big money trying to find a replacement for Phil, sources say. Holly will be joined by whichever presenter is selected to appear with her.
"It will essentially be Holly's show. Bosses hope that they can put all of the Schofield scandal behind them and start concentrating on the content of the show rather than the twosome presenting it.
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Holly has appeared alongside a string of rotating presenters since Phil's departure (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)"At least this way there won't be any falling out," a source told the Daily Mail. "Holly is so excited about the plan, she loves Josie, Craig, Alison and Dermot."
It comes after Holly is reportedly set to sign a brand new contract with This Morning which will see her get a bumper pay rise. She's returning after the summer break as the 'main star', with ITV being 'delighted' that she agreed to return.
It is understood that she will be paid more than her current £700,000 salary for hosting the show. The 42-year-old began her annual summer break from the ITV daytime show earlier this month, but surprised fans as she didn’t announce her temporary departure.
She instead secretly left the show, with Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond taking her place. Some fans thought it was "rude" of her to not give her usual sign-off to start her summer break, while some believed she wouldn't be returning to the programme.
In previous years Holly and her former co-star and best pal Phillip Schofield would share their departure with viewers with huge fanfare, as they headed off for their lengthy summer breaks - often choosing to holiday together.
However, this year things were very different as Holly preferred to fade quietly without mentioning her time off. The presenter has already been spotted running errands in Portugal as she enjoys a holiday there.
Holly is looking to focus on her family and be a "full-time mum" during her scheduled summer break, according to reports. "She appreciates her family more than ever right now… the last couple of months have been really stressful and it’s highlighted for her the importance of family," an insider told new! magazine. "She will be thinking about the future and making sure her family is priority."
Holly, is mum to 14-year-old son Harry, 12-year-old daughter Belle, and eight-year-old son Chester, who she shares with her husband Daniel Baldwin.
The ITV show has been the subject of drama in recent months with the fallout of Phillip Schofield's affair with a younger colleague. Phillip stepped down from This Morning earlier this year before quitting ITV altogether when he admitted to having an "unwise but not illegal" affair with a younger male employee.
The Mirror has contacted ITV and Holly Willoughby's representatives for comment.
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