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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Ellie Iorizzo

Holly Willoughby appears in good spirits supporting 9/11 Charity Day

PA Wire

Holly Willoughby was pictured smiling and in good spirits as she turned her hand to trading for charity.

The presenter, who has been targeted online over claims she and her This Morning co-host Phillip Schofield jumped the public queue to see the Queen lying in state, was among the celebrities taking over the trading floor at BGC Partners brokerage company on Thursday.

Willoughby was supporting Together For Short Lives at the annual event in honour of the 9/11 attacks.

The 41-year-old even received a round of applause after she made around £20,000 on a single trade.

Willoughby, who wore a maroon jumper and tartan skirt, also made the trading floor laugh after she attempted to put the phone down on a laptop holder.

She was heard to say: “I really do not know what I am doing. It feels wrong just putting it down.”

After sorting another trade which made £3,000, Willoughby told the client on the phone: “I am amazed you understood what I said.”

Willoughby later told a BGC organiser: “I am learning words I have never heard of. Everyone has looked after me, especially Slug over there. That is his name.”

Speaking about the charity that is close to her heart, she added: “I am a mum, I have children, their health is everything and I never take that for granted.

“I do not know what life will throw at me but what we do want to know is there is people working behind the scenes to help.”

At one point, Willoughby was ambushed by friend and TV personality Keith Lemon while making a trade before she kicked at him for frightening her.

Lemon told the trading floor: “We used to work together before she left me.”

On Tuesday, the chief executive of ITV said Schofield and Willoughby had been “misrepresented” over claims they skipped the queue for the Queen’s lying in state.

Programme bosses have stressed the hosting duo attended as members of the media to film a segment for the following Tuesday’s show.

Dame Carolyn McCall said the co-presenters were safe in their jobs, despite an online petition to have them fired, and praised their work for the broadcaster.

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