Phillip Schofield has issued a statement on his relationship with Holly Willoughby following claims the pair of 'barely speaking' behind the scenes. Claims of a rift have been brewing in recent weeks after the presenters failed to host This Morning together for a number of weeks.
Phillip, 61, recently returned to the ITV daytime show after taking pre-planned leave around his brother’s sex abuse trial at Exeter Crown Court last month. The TV duo then took their usual Easter break which took them off-screen for two weeks before their planned return was hit by a setback at Holly fell in.
The Sun previously reported that Phillp's initial absence had contributed to a "cooling" of his friendship with Holly, who first teamed up with the veteran presenter on Dancing On Ice in 2006, before joining him on This Morning three years later.
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But in a statement, Schofield, 61, told the paper: “As I have said before, Holly is my rock. We’re the best of friends – as always, she is an incredible support on screen, behind the scenes and on the phone.
"Holly has always been there for me, through thick and thin. And I’ve been there for her," he said. "The last few weeks haven’t been easy for either of us."
In April his younger brother Timothy Schofield, 54, was convicted of 11 sexual offences involving a child between October 2016 and October 2019, including two of sexual activity with a child.
Phillip added: "My family went through a real ordeal, and Holly’s support throughout meant the world to me – as did the support of my bosses at ITV, my editor Martin Frizell and the whole This Morning family, including our amazing viewers. And of course Holly has herself been ill with shingles. Whatever happens, we still have each other to count on."
Upon his return to This Morning last month, Phillip sent a message to those who shared their support following his brother's trial. The presenter released a statement after his sibling was found guilty of sexually abusing a teenage boy over a period of three years.
Timothy Schofield was convicted at Exeter Crown Court on April 3 after a jury spent around five and a half hours deliberating the case. The 54-year-old was charged with 11 sexual offences involving a child between October 2016 and October 2019. Schofield denied the charges but was convicted of three counts of causing a child to watch sexual activity, three of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, three of causing a child to engage in sexual activity and two of sexual activity with a child.
"I'd just like to say, it is really lovely to be back. I have missed the show and everyone here and also to you," he said on the programme on April 17 when he was joined by Rochelle Humes as Holly was off ill. "I wanted to say thank you for your kind messages and support which were really appreciated. Thank you very much indeed." He then added: "On with the show... Shall we?"
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