Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary couldn't hide their 'unease' as they tried to keep things 'under control' in the first This Morning to air since Phillip Schofield's bombshell exit.
TV veteran Phillip had fronted the ITV2 show for over 20 years, with Holly Willoughby joining him on the sofa in 2009, before he stunned fans by announcing his departure with 'immediate effect' over the weekend.
After weeks of behind-the-scenes drama and intense scrutiny, Phillip made the decision to depart from the long-running show.
With the presenter gone and Holly taking a break, other This Morning fan favourites had to step in to keep things running smoothly.
On Monday morning, Alison and Dermot paid a 35 second tribute to Phil calling him the "best live television broadcaster this country has ever had."
The duo seemed stoic as they rushed to wish him well before continuing with the daily show.
After fans branded the display 'awkward', body language expert has had her say on the visible tension in the This Morning studio.
Judi said Alison and Dermot put on a united front with an air of 'business as usual' after days of 'fakery' at the ITV show as Holly and Phil battled on despite the headlines bout their friendship.
Tuning into Monday's episode, Judi said: "Holly and Phil are two of the best fake smilers in the business and they more than proved that as they grinned, gurned and giggled their way through the most gruesome week of their TV careers.
"Paint-on perkiness is not Dermot and Alison’s natural style, though. They both began their careers in a reality show [ Big Brother ] that prided itself in calling out the body language of the shammers and the scammers and that means their style tends to be far more authentic. So, they had a tall call this morning as they saddled up to take over," said Judi.
"When they popped up to trail the show on Lorraine it was immediately clear there were no fake bubbles in sight. Both looked serious to the point of solemn, Dermot shifting uneasily in his chair while frowning and sucking his lips in a gesture of regret while Alison’s raised brows and the way she kept both hands out in a ‘squeeze-box’ position suggested a desire to keep things under control.
"Bizarrely, when the credits rolled, it looked as though David Copperfield had thrown his cape over the reel and made Holly and Phil vanish. They played the usual clips and music but with the former TV pair surgically removed.
"Serious faces again from Alison and Dermot as the show started, who tackled the drama sideways on during their intro with a stoic recognition of Phil’s absence and a ‘tribute to the man’ who they described as ‘One of the best live TV broadcasters this country has ever had.’ There were photos of Phil in case the fans had already forgotten, while Dermot added a 'yeah’ to the ‘wish you all the best’ and opened his sucked and puckered lips to smack them together with a sigh as the show rumbled back into life."
"In the end it was a pen that broke the ice," observed Judi.
"Side by side on the sofa, Dermot and Alison were still in unsmiling mode, although their ability to pick up the pace and gently get back into the stride they are famous for was like a subtle masterclass in authentic presenting.
"While Alison was talking though, Dermot put the top of his pen into his mouth before it flew out onto the floor. Dermot is one of the best natural and congruent live TV presenters in the business so he just did what he would do at home and fished about under the sofa for it.
"Alison warmed into smile mode and they very expertly moved into their usual body language of warmth and giggling with a side order of jokey attitude.
"By one minute after ten it was a case of ‘Breathe and relax’. They’d dealt well with the problem without any sign of cheese and moved into the spaces left on the sofa seamlessly," concluded Judi.
Although Phil is no longer part of the show, it was confirmed Holly will remain on the ITV show and will co-present with the This Morning family.
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