Holly Willoughby had a valid reason for missing the start of Thursday’s episode of This Morning – she was watching her son’s nativity play.
The TV presenter, 41, and her producer husband Dan Baldwin, 47, are parents to Harry, 12, Belle, 10 and eight-year-old Chester, who was appearing as Father Christmas in the school performance.
Willoughby appeared on the show via video link from inside the grounds of her youngest child’s school, with the headmaster filming her.
The ITV show opened with Phillip Schofield, 60, hosting solo explaining: “You may have noticed that someone is missing. That’s because Holly is busy doing something that a lot of parents up and down the country can relate to… she is at Chester’s nativity play and she joins us now!’
A waving Willoughby then told viewers: “It’s all very exciting! I’m at Chester’s school, the class are getting ready and at 10.15am they will all be going on stage. There is a nativity of sorts but we’re actually following Clarence the Camel who is on a journey to find his home.
“I’ve seen lots of children dressed at Christmas puddings and gingerbread men!
“Chester is playing Father Christmas, so he has a very important role – he’s full of lots of stuffing and he’s looking super cute!
“He does have lines [to say] but the only one I know is ‘Ho ho ho!’ I’ve got my tissues in my pocket and I’m ready to have a cry because it’s always very emotional but it’s the first of December and it’s the perfect way to start Christmas.”
She added: “This is the weirdest thing because holding the camera – my phone that I’m talking to now – is the Headmaster Mr H and normally when I see a headmaster I’m in all sorts of trouble, but he’s actually holding the phone so I’m OK!”
Later in the show, she appeared back in the studio full of pride as she discussed how the youngster had got on.
“He was very good, he remembered all his words,” she told her co-host.
“Did you need your tissues?” he asked, to which she replied:
“I did! It was at the end and they sang something beautiful and lovely and it always gets you…”
Hopefully she still had them to hand as it was then revealed that This Morning has been voted the winner of Favourite Daytime Show in this year’s TV Times Awards.
