This Morning viewers complained that the latest episode got off to a 'cringy' start as Phillip Schofield was finally reunited with Holly Willoughby. The 41-year-old returned to presenting duties on Wednesday (March 23) after finally testing negative for coronavirus after testing positive earlier this month hours before she was due to appear on Dancing On Ice for the skating competition's semi-final.
Both Josie Gibson and Alison Hammond have stepped in to host This Morning alongside Phillip in Holly's absence but she was eventually allowed to return before the end of another week.
Opening Wednesday's edition of the ITV daytime show on Wednesday Phillip said 'hiya' with a huge grin on his face as Holly threw her own hands up and screeched 'Hi'.
READ MORE: Holly Willoughby sparks divide as she makes return to ITV This Morning in 'nightie'
"Well, here you are," Phillip said turning to his co-host to which she said: "It's so nice to be back. I actually feel like I've been gone forever."
"So do I," Phillip agreed as Holly went on: "I've watched loads of you, I feel like you've been in my house with me the whole time. It's been so nice to have you there."
Talking about how she was during her time off with Covid, Holly said: "I had 48 hours of feeling really rubbish, just in bed, head on the pillow, headache... all that kind of stuff and then after that you just felt like you had a bit of a cold but fine."
"I'm absolutely fine it's just waiting for that line to go," she added referring to that on a Lateral Flow Test. "Every morning you're like... it's like the worst advent calendar in the world. 'What will I get today? Argh, a red line again'," Holly laughed.
The pair then cracked on with their busy show but fans weren't impressed with the big welcome.
@Bryonymackenzie tweeted: "Phil and Holly are proper cringy #ThisMorning."
"Jesus, pass the bucket #ThisMorning," @RobSpontaneous said.
@DavidMackayy commented: "Here we go, Holly’s back love induced cringe incoming #thismorning."
Following their initial chat, the show began with the hosts discussing how life had changed with other members of the This Morning family since the first initial lockdown began exactly two years ago today.
After watching a clip of key moments from the show over the last 24 months, which began with the Prime Minister's live televised speech from March 2020 instructing people to stay at home.
"Our lives have changed unimaginably," Holly was heard saying as a clip of Holly and Phil explaining why they were social distancing on the sofa also aired.
The camera cut back to the studio where the hosts were joined by Dr Philippa Kaye and Nick and Eva Speakman. Holly first commented: " Well, I think when I said that, if you'd have told me it was going to be two years, I wouldn't have believed it!
"But it has been two years and finally, it was worth the wait Mr Schofield," Holly added as Phillip replied: "Absolutely," and the pair shared a warm hug on the sofa.
But it didn't go down well with everyone.
"Im bored... I feel the need for a re-cap of the last 2 years is completely unneccessary (past caring if I've spelt that wrong) we've lived through the whole shite, give us something cheerful please. #ThisMorning," @racheltink84 tweeted.
@tonimilw commented: "I don’t think I need to hear about the last 2 years. We get it, it’s been c**p now move on #ThisMorning."
"Let’s remind everyone how shit the last 2 years have been. Great idea #ThisMorning," @soul_sniper65 sarcastically shared.
@leeleeCThomas complained: "Why are they doing a segment on reliving the last two years? They hated it as much as we did but they’re treating it like it was “good times” #ThisMorning."
