The woman who started a petition to remove This Morning presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield from television screens has said she is stepping back from her cause, now it’s been signed a staggering 75,000 times.
The petition’s creator, Laura Harrison, has said that it’s “kind of destroying me” after posting the lobby on Change.org after the presenters were falsely accused of jumping the queue to see the Queen’s lying-in-state.
ITV stars Holly, 41, and Philip, 61, faced a barrage of criticism after footage emerged of the pals paying their respects at Westminster Abbey.
The pair swiftly responded, however, explaining that as members of the press, they didn't have an obligation to wait in line as they were reporting on the events.
In addition, This Morning issued a statement at the time 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.
But that hasn't been enough to stop thousands demanding they don't appear on TV again.
The petition - labelled ''Axe Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby from TV' was launched on September 17 by irate Laura Harrison, who called the duo 'toxic.'
It's original target was set to 15,000 signatures, which, after being surpassed quickly was increased to 50,000 before it's current target of 75,000 being set.
But now its founder has decided to step back after it all got too much.
In an update shared to Change.org, Harrison explained: “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,” she wrote. “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.”
The post continued: “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. Words will be twisted, but the intent was always to prevent people being hurt time and time again by these TV shows.”
This week, Graham Norton has branded Holly and Phillip "foolish" as he waded into the queue jump row.
Graham, 59, said he too was offered to skip the queue by an MP but decided against it as he thought he would "get in the neck" from those who had waited hours in line to pay their respects.
Speaking on their daytime show last Tuesday, the Holly and Phillip issued a lengthy statement about the pictures of them at Westminster Hall.
"We were given official permission to access the hall, it was strictly for reporting on the event for millions of people in the UK who haven't been able to visit Westminster in person," Holly said in a pre-recorded voice over.
She added: "The rules were, that we would be quickly escorted around the edges to a platform at the back."
"In contrast, those paying respect stood on a carpeted area beside the coffin and were given time to pause. None of the broadcasters or journalists there took anyone's place in the queue and no one filed past the Queen."
Holly admitted they understood the backlash surrounding them being at the lying in state.
"We, of course, respected those rules. However, we realised it may have looked like something else and therefore totally understand the reaction.
"Please know we would never jump the queue," Holly concluded.
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