Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield have been critised for not queuing with the public when they went to pay tribute to the late Queen.
Members of the public, and stars such as Tilda Swinton, David Beckham and Susanna Reid, waited hours in the main queue to view the Queen lying in state in Westminster Hall.
But This Morning presenters Willoughby and Schofield queued in a separate line.
An ITV spokesperson told The Independent: “This Morning had press accreditation and like other media, Phillip and Holly were escorted to work from the press gallery by government staff. They did not file past the Queen’s coffin.
“They were there alongside a host of other broadcasters and national press outlets for an item that will be broadcast on Tuesday’s show. Any allegations of improper behaviour are categorically untrue.”
Many social media users were upset with the pair. “David Beckham in the queue for over 10 hours paying his respects to the Queen while Holly and Phil saunter in, skipping the line is a terrible look. Why do people like this think they’re special? Unless you’re royalty or a foreign president you join the queue. End of,” wrote one person.
“Holly and Phil trying to justify queue jumping by saying they were being filmed for Tuesday’s #ThisMorning will really be shown up on the day,” added another. “Ultimately they have a few seconds of footage whilst Susanna Reid will have hours of stories from her time queuing with the public.”
A third wrote: “Absolutely cannot process that Phil and Holly got fast track passes to see the queen’s coffin as if they’re at Thorpe Park.”
A fourth argued: “I think if Susanna Reid had used her press pass as Phil Schofield and Holly Willoughby did we would be having a different conversation right now, but no one should be jumping five mile long queues, whatever the excuse.”
“I don’t care if they apparently were in a press queue... Holly and Phil aren’t press. They are celebrities. They should have queued like everyone else. Hats off to everyone waiting all those hours. That’s true respect,” tweeted another.
On Saturday (17 September), the King and the Prince of Wales made a surprise visit to greet mourners in the queue for the Queen’s lying in state.
The latest waiting time is now said to be 14 hours, with queues snaking all the way back to Southwark Park in Bermondsey, southeast London.
Follow the latest updates following the death of Queen Elizabeth II here
