This Morning's Holly Willoughby and Phillp Scofield say they went to see the Queen laying in state for everyone who "couldn't go".
The presenters were accused of using a VIP lane on Friday after being spotted on the BBC's live feed, with many thinking they had just filed past Her Majesty in Westminster Hall.
They were targeted with abuse on social media across the weekend, with calls for them to be sacked, after the likes of David Beckham and Good Morning Britain's Susanna Reid were spotted waiting in queues of up to 13 hours.
During today's episode of This Morning, they opened the show with a segment of video clips as they marked the period of mourning following the Queen's passing on September 8. They referenced the day the news broke, as well as Meghan Markle and Prince Harry reuniting with Prince William and his wife Kate.
The pair spoke over a string of footage of the Queen lying in state where they said, as journalists, they went to "show all the people who were unable to attend Westminster Hall". They said they never took anyone else's place and joined other accredited journalists.
"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 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."
However, she 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.
Over the weekend, ITV were forced to issue a statement to deny the presenting pair had been given VIP access or jumped the queue.
A post on their social media page read: "Hello everyone, we would like to clarify something. We asked Phillip and Holly to be part of a film for this Tuesday’s programme. They did not jump the queue, have VIP access or file past the Queen lying in state - but instead were there in a professional capacity as part of the world’s media to report on the event."
Sources had claimed to The Mirror that the show was in "crisis talks" on whether to run the segment or not, and there had been "lots of discussions" on whether it would be best to run it or not.
"This Morning are at a crossroads over if they run Holly and Phil's segment from the abbey - there have been a lot of discussions about how to air the footage especially with the horrific backlash," the insider shared.
"Everyone feels for Holly and Phil as they were just doing their job as working media but the whole thing has turned into a Twitter storm - bosses are even unsure whether to run it or not."
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