Phillip Schofield is determined to “tough it out” for now and not step down from his This Morning job - despite his future on the ITV show hanging in the balance.
Today sources confirmed him and co-star Holly Willoughby would be on the sofa tomorrow in which they could address the controversy.
The Mirror told on Saturday how ITV are prepared to axe Phil from the show if viewers “no longer believe in the chemistry” between him and Holly.
They were left furious by his unsanctioned statement which addressed the alleged rift between him and Holly, believing it “made things a million times worse”.
But insiders claim despite ITV’s clear displeasure, Phil will believe he can withstand the row.
A source said: “He will think he can tough it out, like he has previous controversies such as Queue-gate. But to be honest, it’s out of his hands. If the viewers don’t believe in him and Holly, something’s got to give - and that will most likely be Phil. It’s a massive week for them both.”
If the duo face a backlash from viewers, it remains to be seen how quickly ITV would act to make changes to the line-up.
Their contracts are up at the end of the year, with renewal negotiations set to start in the summer.
A source said: “The question is whether ITV would want to wait until the end of the year if it all goes pear-shaped or try to enforce any changes earlier.”
Insiders have previously said the row between Holly and Phil was “overblown” and while they had drifted apart, it wasn’t as toxic as described in some reports.
But there was anger that by addressing the rumoured rift, Phil had turned the situation into a “feeding frenzy” and would “give the perception to viewers that there are issues.”
In the statement, he admitted recent weeks “haven’t been easy for either of us”.
And insiders say the relationship between the two presenters is becoming “increasingly fraught” by the anonymous briefings being played out in the media.
A source said: “Both swear blind they aren’t authorizing friends to speak on their behalf. But there is increasing paranoia that someone is perhaps not telling the truth. It’s a total mess, and no-one knows who to believe anymore.”
Phil recently returned to the show, which pulls in around two million viewers, after taking leave around his brother Timothy’s sex abuse trial at Exeter crown court last month.
Phil has been a regular presenter on This Morning since 2002 alongside hosts including Fern Britton and Amanda Holden.
Last year, he and Holly faced criticism over claims they skipped the queue for the late Queen’s lying in state after her death in September.
