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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Alan Johnson

Founder of 'axe Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby' petition calls for 'positivity'

The founder of a petition to ban Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby from television following their alleged queue jumping at Westminster Abbey has issued a plea for 'positivity not hostility and negativity'.

The This Morning duo sparked widespread controversy after being accused of skipping the hours-long line to see the Queen lying in state earlier this month.

Now, Laura Harrison, who created the 'Axe Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby from TV' petition said the commotion it has caused is 'kind of destroying' her as it passed its third target of 75,000 signatories.

"I want to begin the week on a more positive note, and I don’t want to think about the programme anymore. It’s kind of destroying me," Laura wrote in her latest update.

The petition has reached 75,000 signatories (ITV)

"Words will be twisted, but the intent was always to prevent people being hurt time and time again by these TV shows."

She continued: "I've asked ITV to deliver any responses relating to this to the public and not to me, as I won't be following the news, or watching the programme, or sharing anything online, or through social media.

"I want nothing more than for this topic to end. I want positivity, not hostility and negativity. The concerns raised by this have been shared with Ofcom and ITV, and that's all I can do."

ITV's Chief Executive has since leapt to the pair's defence (REX)

It comes as ITV Chief Executive Dame Carolyn McCall jumped to their defence and said the two did 'nothing' wrong.

"They did have accreditation. Lots of people saying they didn’t. They were sent by This Morning to do a piece for September 20, which ran," she explained at the RTS London Convention.

"They were to interview people inside and outside. They didn’t displace anyone in the queue. And they’ve been very misrepresented, actually.

"And that’s why we made a statement. Unusually, we made a statement to say all of those things. But it does show you how things spread and how misinformation just spreads. And it is really horrible for them."

Dame Carolyn went on to confirm the presenting duo are secure in their jobs at This Morning - despite the petition.

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