ITV has said presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield did not ‘jump the queue’ to visit the Queen lying in state.
The pair, who host ITV daytime show This Morning, were seen walking beside mourners in all-black outfits at Westminster Hall on Friday during the segment filmed for a special tribute edition of the show.
However, the pair faced a social media backlash after both David Beckham and colleague Susanna Reid refused to skip the queue and waited their turn instead.
Furious fans accused Schofield, 60, and Willoughby, 41, of lacking in “common decency” and said they should be “ashamed” of themselves.
A Twitter user wrote: “So Phil and Holly got a fast track to the coffin and didn’t have the common decency to queue along with many elderly or British citizens or even David Beckham. They should feel embarrassed and ashamed, it’s not Alton Towers.”
Another added: “Holly and Phil. Hang your heads in shame. Totally disgusted in you ‘queue jumping’ no excuse for it whatsoever.”
Others even demanded they be sacked from This Morning.
However, ITV bosses have defended the pair and denied they received special treatment.
In a statement posted on social media, a spokesperson said: “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.”
In contrast, Football icon Beckham was praised as he waited 14 hours after reportedly turning down an offer from an MP to skip the queue.
Reid, 51, who is the host of Good Morning Britain, waited seven hours with her mother on Thursday.
