Strained Holly and Phil’s very awkward united front: Uncomfortable smiles of ‘feuding’ co-hosts as they appear together on This Morning – with Phil’s ‘overkill’ body language and Holly’s ‘anxious’ facial expressions
Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby put on a brave face today and tried to brush off claims of a feud as they appeared together on This Morning – but viewers said their joviality appeared ‘forced’ and ‘painful’ at times, especially during a live workout.
The apparently warring TV couple hosted the hit show after 61-year-old Schofield called in lawyers, allegedly planning to ‘tough it out’ rather than quit.
The show began with a medley from Alan Menken, the American composer of The Little Mermaid, where Schofield joked that Miss Willoughby could ask him for an audition after she confessed to loving the Disney character and his music.
Body language expert Judi James told MailOnline that Schofield’s enthusiasm was ‘overkill’ and claimed he used the segment to exert power over Miss Willoughby, who she claims looked downcast in the face of her co-host’s ‘bravado’.
She said the moment ‘gave Phil the body language advantage in what looked like a bravado fight-back, because by the time he turned to Holly her signals of self-diminishing were making her look anxious and sad’.
When Schofield suggested an audition, she added it ‘sounded suspiciously like a double-entendre comment to Holly, before performing a comedy gurn to the cameras’.
The next section of the show was a digest of Monday’s newspapers – but despite being on many of the front pages the duo failed to address the story and spoke about AI ‘killing off’ the Loch Ness Monster and sex education in schools instead.
One viewer said: ‘This elephant’s so big, it could fill the room.’ Another said: ‘Are they going to address the elephant in the room? We’re all waiting.’
A This Morning fan said: ‘Holly and Phil discussing the headlines when they ARE the headlines!’. Another tweeted: ‘If I was in any doubt about the rumours, 2 mins into this morning’s episode and defo feel tension, no eye contact between Phil & Holly, it must feel horrible’.
Holly and Phil were back on screen together amid claims of their faltering relationship
The TV couple are said to have held crisis talks with ITV bosses before today’s show
Phillip Schofield works out on the show. Body language expert Judi James said he was full of bravado
The This Morning hosts did a paper review with Gyles Brandreth and Camilla Tominey – but the front page stories about them were not touched upon
Describing Miss Wiloughby’s reaction, Ms James said: ‘Her raised hand clasp either had the fingers upward in a gesture of protection or the wrists bent to suggest submission rather than fight. But her finger-picking and fiddling and the way she rubbed her hands on her torso hinted at more inner anxiety’.
After they laughed together while doing a workout and trying a chicken dish, she added: ‘Phil does seem to be creating subtle signals that they still have a workable relationship. His attentive, active listening signals to Holly when she speaks involve some forward leaning to perhaps get her attention and draw her into the double-act rituals they usually share’.
The decision for Holly and Phil to appear together – confirmed yesterday by ITV – came after more than 48 hours of crisis talks between the network and the embattled pair over whether one of them, both or neither would be on air today.
At the start of the show – a slot where Schofield thanked viewers for their support when his brother was convicted of child sex offences last month – it was business as usual.
The pair revealed that they had spent time together and spoken backstage before the show.
Both hinted that they had been in tears ‘together’ when watching the emotional moment rugby player Rob Burrow was carried in his former teammate Kevin Sinfield’s arms as they crossed the finish line in the Leeds Marathon.
Sinfield had pushed his close friend, who has motor neurone disease, for over four hours around the course before scooping him up near the stadium where they once played for Leeds Rhinos together.
Schofield said he and Miss Willoughby watched the video several times before 10am – so they wouldn’t cry on screen.
She said of the clip: ‘Yeah. It’s the moment where he is talking in his eyes. It’s just really lovely. Human’s are good, aren’t they?’
Ms James said that this moment suggested there was still some hope for the TV couple. There was also a funny moment where they did a workout together, with Schofield excelling at the plank.
This Morning viewers picked up on the emotion between the pair as they discussed it on screen.
Schofield is trying to ‘tough out’ the ongoing row after it emerged he had called in his own lawyers over the fallout with his co-presenter, sources have revealed. He has also employed a new PR man to help improve his press coverage.
Former This Morning presenter Eamonn Holmes said on GB News today that the duo deserved special nominations for the ‘best actors’ at the BAFTAs last night. He said: ‘He’s brought in lawyers, she’s brought in a PR team. The public surely suss that there is no chemistry, that it is a broken fit between the two of them.
‘This Morning doesn’t depend on who presents it. It’s an institution. It will carry on no matter who presents it. And anybody can check the viewing figures. There is no difference between when they present it, or whenever anybody else does’.
There had been claims that they may not appear together today – but crisis talks appear to have sorted a short term resolution.
One source told The Sun: ‘Holly and Phil are professionals and they can turn it on like no one else.
‘Although behind the scenes their relationship is nothing like it was, they are both dedicated to This Morning and keeping it together for viewers.’
Bosses from the broadcaster were allegedly furious after Schofield, 61, broke his silence with a shock statement about the fallout with his co-host of 14 years admitting ‘the last few weeks haven’t been easy for us’.
Despite this, Schofield believes he can weather the ongoing storm but even those close to him have said it is down to whether the audience believes the pair still have on-screen chemistry.
The feud kicked off in September when the pair were criticised after failing to queue for the Queen’s Lying in State, a situation which those close to him have dubbed ‘Queue-gate’.
Things have become so bad that it is said they no longer speak when the cameras stop rolling. Ms Willoughby, 42, has now cut all ties with Schofield other than her This Morning commitments.
One source said ‘he will think he can tough it out, like he has previous controversies, such as Queue-gate’ but added if one of the stars had to go it would be Schofield.
‘But to be honest, it’s out of his hands. If the viewers don’t believe in him and Holly, something’s got to give – and that will most likely be Phil.
‘It’s a massive week for them both’, the source told the Mirror.
Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby head to work today amid claims they no longer speak
The presenter has brought in Gordon Smart, a former Sun showbiz columnist and occasional Good Morning Britain host, to manage the crisis and ensure favourable press coverage
They added that it was down to broadcasters to decide whether to wait until the end of the year to make any immediate changes.
Sources at the broadcaster described the situation as a ‘quandary’ for its bosses because both of the former friends were determined to get their own way.
Schofield has consulted lawyers over the situation, which has been spiralling out of control for months.
The Daily Mail revealed last night that he has also hired Gordon Smart, a former Sun showbiz columnist and occasional Good Morning Britain host, to manage the crisis and ensure favourable press coverage.
It is a clear sign, say sources, that he is ‘taking this very seriously’ and is ‘keen to come out of the situation quickly’.
Schofield has previously used ex-News of the World bosses Phil Hall and Phil Taylor to deal with his crises.
Schofield’s decision to hire Smart has raised eyebrows.
Smart was a friend of Miss Willoughby’s for some years and he was a regular talking head on This Morning with her and Schofield.
They even shared photographs of themselves together on social media.
One source said: ‘You’ve got to wonder what Holly thinks of all of this.
‘She and Gordon were mates for quite some time.’
Other ITV stars are said to be ‘fascinated’ by the situation, with one telling the Mail: ‘This has been going on for some time. Everyone has been talking and now we are all rubbing our hands waiting to see what happens next.’
It is understood that producers had several options for how to tackle today’s show. At the centre of the decision was editor Martin Frizell, who backs Miss Willoughby.
It will be the first time the pair appeared together since Schofield released a statement about their friendship last Thursday without consulting her first. While on air that morning they failed to convince viewers they were still friends, with Miss Willoughby apparently unable to look her co-star in the eye.
Insiders predict a battle between ITV and Schofield. He has been a powerful figure there for more than 20 years, but his influence is waning. Bosses want to keep Miss Willoughby happy, and staff on This Morning expect the tense atmosphere in the studio to become more difficult.
While the co-hosts’ return is expected to boost ratings, executives fear that reviving their partnership will make viewers suspicious of any forced bonhomie. One insider said: ‘This will seriously undermine the show and its reputation. How can they pretend to joke together?
The feud began in September when the pair (pictured in August 22) were criticised after failing to queue for the Queen’s Lying in State
Schofield disappeared off TV during his brother Timothy’s trial over sexually abusing a teenage boy. The brothers pictured in 2015
Today’s show was the first time the pair appeared together since Schofield released a statement about their friendship last Thursday without consulting her first
Schofield (pictured with Miss Willoughby in 2019) has previously used ex-News of the World bosses Phil Hall and Phil Taylor to deal with his crises
‘Their friendship used to be genuine, but it isn’t any more, so surely they will be making fools of their audience. But neither will back down. How can you just tell one of them they are to stay at home?
‘The headlines that will come from them being on together could really damage the show and its brand.’
Schofield disappeared from the airwaves for more than a fortnight last month while his brother Timothy, 54, was tried at Exeter Crown Court for sexually abusing a teenage boy. After he was convicted, the TV star said: ‘I no longer have a brother.’
Meanwhile, it has emerged that a runner on This Morning who struck up a friendship with Schofield quit suddenly. The man, in his 20s, moved to ITV’s Loose Women before leaving the network amid claims of a rift.
ITV and Schofield insist the Loose Women job was a promotion. But a source said: ‘He and Phil were close, then he just went off to Loose Women, which is a rival show. It was odd. Some of the network’s biggest names expressed surprise. He was popular. It was mysterious.’
