Amanda Holden has denied claims she’s feuding with Holly Willoughby after she appeared to mock the presenter’s return to This Morning in an Instagram video on Tuesday.
The 52-year-old shared a lengthy statement on social media addressing reports tensions between the pair have bubbled to the surface and insisted that she and Willoughby have been pitted against each other for several jobs.
The Britain’s Got Talent judge penned: “Sadly strong and intelligent women have for far too long been pitted against one other when we should all be celebrated in our own right.
“Women are still expected to say nothing, suffer silently and just get on with it. And we do... mostly.”
Her post comes after The Sun reported that Willoughby felt the BGT star has too much sway in the industry, with a source claiming, “Holly has questioned how Amanda’s allowed to have become so influential.”
While Holden shut down commentary on a feud between herself and Willoughby, she previously fell out with the 42-year-old’s former co-host Phillip Schofield back in 2018.
At the time, she claimed the broadcaster sabotaged her chance to fill in for Willoughby as host of This Morning.
Reports regarding the pair ‘feuding’ first emerged after Holden appeared to mock Holly’s return to the ITV mid-morning stalwart following Schofield’s departure after his affair with a younger male colleague came to light.
Appearing on the show for the first time since news of the affair broke on Monday, she asked viewers: “Right, deep breath. Firstly, are you OK? I hope so.”
In light of Willoughby address to viewers, Holden posted a video on Instagram wearing a white ensemble which was similar to the one worn by the presenter, saying: “Hello, it is Tuesday. Are you OK?”
She then appeared to take another swipe at Willoughby on the radio.
When talking about doing the show hungover the day before, co-host Jamie Theakston, 52, asked Holden how she was feeling.
She said: “I got home, got straight into bed with my dog and cat. I got up, cooked the tea and went back to bed again at eight.
“I did that thing where you wake up at two and you have to talk yourself back into going to sleep.”
While talking to another guest, Theakstone interjected: “We’re worried about your wellbeing.”
To which Holden replied: “I’m OK people, are you OK?”
A representative for Holden told the Standard: “Amanda has always made it clear in the past she has no issues with Holly. Today’s video has been taken completely out of context.”
