Eamonn Holmes and his former boss had a bust-up over a Christmas bauble, it has been claimed.
Since Phillip Schofield's swift exit from This Morning and then ITV, Eamonn has made his resentment towards the disgraced host very clear.
In an interview with GB News, Eamonn shocked viewers with a series of bombshell claims, which Phillip fired back with interviews of his own.
There was once a time when Eamonn tearfully hugged Phillip, alongside wife Ruth Langsford, and appeared to be a pillar of support when the host came out as gay on live TV.
Yet behind the saccharine sweet smiles, things certainly were not rosy between Eamonn, Phillip and even This Morning boss Martin Frizell.
One of Eamonn's biggest grievances was with This Morning boss Frizell, insiders told the Daily Mail 's Alison Boshoff.
The pair reportedly fell out when Eamonn refused to present a branded Christmas decoration to Nicola Sturgeon when she was a guest on the show three days before the 2019 general election, claiming it would be a breach of impartiality rules.
Boshoff writes: "In the run-up to the 2019 general election, tensions came to a head. Frizell was insistent Eamonn should present then Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon with a This Morning Christmas bauble.
"Eamonn was equally insistent that he would do no such thing, saying it would breach impartiality rules for broadcasters in the weeks before an election. ‘He and Frizz didn’t speak again after that,’ says the senior source."
Representatives for both ITV and Eamonn Holmes have been approached for comment.
On May 31, Eamonn launched a blistering attack against the show and alleged that he was 'lied to' by producers when Philip Schofield came out as gay live on air in early 2020.
He claims that producers unexpectedly told him and Ruth Langsford that the silver-haired star and his sidekick Holly Willoughby would be making an unscheduled appearance on their Friday show.
At first, Eamonn thought Phil was announcing his departure, but when he found out that it was Phil's coming out, he said he was eager to offer his colleague support and comfort.
Speaking in a special interview with fellow GB News host Dan Wootton, he recalled the moment Phil came into the pair's dressing room and "fell down on his knees crying" and announced "I'm gay".
At the time, Eamonn and Ruth were "very, very supportive" and comforted Phil by hugging him and telling him: "We stand by you".
"I think anyone to be imprisoned in a life that isn't true to them is totally wrong and we were very supportive," Eamonn said.
After Holly and Phillip made the announcement on the sofa, Ruth and Eamonn joined them for an emotional hug.
But looking back, Eamonn told GB News he felt 'bad vibes' on the set.
Phil has since confessed to having an affair with a 'much younger' male runner who is believed to have declared his feelings for the former Broom Cupboard star at an awards ceremony just days before the announcement.
Referring to the moment him and Ruth joined Phil on camera, Eamonn said: "Ruth and I, to this day, are embarrassed and ashamed when we see those pictures.
"We feel angry about that. We feel used."
