Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield looked anxious and appeared to be 'pleading' for help on their This Morning return, a top body language expert believes.
The ITV presenters are still reeling after they were falsely accused of skipping the queue to see the late Queen lying in state earlier this month.
They have faced vicious trolling on social media and stringing criticism after photos emerged of them at Westminster Abbey paying their respects to the late sovereign following her death.
Holly, 41, and 60-year-old Phillip addressed the backlash they have faced on their daytime show and assured people they "would never jump the queue".
The pair explained that, as members of the press, they did not have to wait in line as they were reporting on the events but that stem the flow of the backlash against them.
Behaviour expert Judi James assessed their return today and says they are still showing signs that a difficult few weeks are playing on their minds.
Judi told The Mirror : "Their names alone imply bright-eyed, bubbly presenting but in this clip we can see Phil’s body pose looking lower on energy and bounce while Holly seems to aim for more of her usual levels of non-verbal positivity.
"The harp music should create some sense of soothing and calm for the duo but their body language responses at the end look full of contrasts.
"Holly sits straight-backed here, turned in her seat to face the harpist and with her legs crossed elegantly. Her clapping is loud and involves her hands held high in a gesture of not only appreciation but also of some levels of comfort about drawing attention to herself.
"Phil, in contrast, sits low on his stool, leaning his upper body weight on his elbows on the table.
"He claps in this position, without lifting his elbows and keeping his hands at chin level in a much more muted pose that suggests low-energy.
"His feet mime a walking gesture, with one stretched out and only the floor while the other rests on the rung of his stool. When he says to the harpist ‘Can you come back every day?’ his voice sounds wistful and slightly pleading, as though he had been enjoying the moment of calm.
"When Holly faces the camera her eyes look narrowed, rather than their normal rounded and wide-opened shape that will usually suggest happiness and excitement. She also performs some slightly anxious-looking finger-picking as they introduce Alison."
It comes as a petition calling for the pair to be removed from television altogether has now reached 73,000 signatures.
The stars explained that, as members of the press, they did not have to wait in line as they were reporting on the events.
This Morning quickly issued a statement clarifying that the two stars 'did not jump the queue, have VIP access or file past the Queen lying in state' and were there purely for work reasons.
Last week, Holly looked to clarify what happened in a VT, as the now-infamous footage was aired for ITV viewers.
She said: "Like hundreds of accredited broadcasters and journalists we were given official permission to access the hall.
"It was strictly for the purpose of reporting on the event for millions of people in the UK who haven’t been able to visit Westminster in person.
"The rules were that we would be quickly escorted around the edges to a platform at the back. In contrast those paying respects walked along a carpeted area beside the coffin and were given time to pause.
"None of the broadcasters and journalists took anyone's places in the queue and no one filed past the Queen.
"We of course respected those rules however we realised that it may have looked like something else and therefore we totally understand the reaction.
"Please know that we would never jump a queue."
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