Phillip Schofield has appeared to have made a subtle dig towards his former co-star and best pal Holly Willoughby. The pair's professional and personal partnership has come to an end after Phillip's admission he had an affair with a young runner who worked on This Morning.
The former ITV host, 61, admitted last week that Holly never responded to his final text to her as he candidly spoke of the hurt he had caused by lying about his affair with a young male runner to his colleagues, friends and family whilst still married to his wife.
Phil was quizzed in an emotional interview with the BBC on his friendship with Holly and if she knew anything about what was going on, reports the Mirror.
He was asked by interviewer Amol Rajan: "Did you ever tell Holly?," to which Phil replied: "No god no. I don't know whether Holly ever asked me, she might have done, but I would have denied it.
"Holly did not know. Nobody knew."
This contradicts Holly's statement following the news when she broke her silence, writing on Instagram that when she had asked Phil and he had denied the rumours to her.
She wrote at the time: "It's taken time to process yesterday's news.
"When reports of this relationship first surfaced, I asked Phil directly if this was true and was told it was not.
"It's been very hurtful to now find out that this was a lie."
Fans following the ongoing scandal involving This Morning were quick to point out the contradiction in Phillip's statement to Holly's after bosses at ITV also confirmed they had investigated allegations of an affair between its lead presenter and a runner.
Their conclusions said that they found the suggestion did not go more than 'rumours' after quizzing staff.
Holly returned to her usual slot on the couch this week on Monday following a two-week break in the aftermath of the news, alongside Josie Gibson who offered her support as she addressed the controversy.
Holly, 42, wore all white as she read out a statement on her former colleague, which started by asking ITV viewers if they "were ok" before saying it felt "very strange indeed" being there without Phillip.
The mum-of-three said that she felt "shaken", "troubled" and "let down" by her former friend, saying she had given "love and support to someone who was not telling the truth".
"You me and all of us at This Morning gave our love and support to someone who was not telling the truth, who acted in a way that they themselves felt that they had to resign from ITV and step down from a career that they loved," Holly said.
"That is a lot to process, and it's equally hard to see the toll that it's taken on their own mental health.
"I think what unites us all now is a desire to heal, for the health and wellbeing of everyone.
"I hope that we start this new chapter and get back to a place of warmth and magic that this show holds for all of us, we can find strength in each other."
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