This Morning's Phillip Schofield opened today's show alone - as he explained Holly Willoughby's absence.
The pair usually present the ITV mid-morning show together from Mondays to Thursdays most weeks, but as they crossed over from Lorraine Kelly, Phil was noticeably on his own and Holly nowhere to be seen. Lorraine seemed puzzled by it just being Phil, whilst he immediately acknowledged his friend and co-star's absence, insisting he would explain all later.
When the show began, Phil was quick to reveal where Holly had got to as he appeared on the blue sofa alone.
Speaking at the start of the show, Phil confirmed Holly was absent because she was doing something lots of parents did on December 1st, as he explained just why she was missing from the ITV show.
"Welcome to your Thursday morning. Something's different here; happy December. You might notice there is someone missing and that's because Holly is busy doing something that parents up and down the country are doing," he said.
As they crossed live over to Holly, who was broadcasting from her phone outside Chester's school, Holly revealed she had been given time off by the show's bosses to allow her to see her son's nativity play.
"She is at Chester's Nativity play, the signal isn't very good - it's nearly dropped off a handful of times and we nearly didn't get you but we're there for the moment, so explain to use what you're doing," Phil said.
Holly then went on to reveal: "I'm at Chester's school. The class are getting ready. There's a nativity of sorts but we're actually following Clarence the Camel who is on a journey to find his home. So will he get there? I don't know. Behind the camera, I can see there's lots of children dressed as Christmas puddings and gingerbread men so it's all going off here."
Phil and Holly previously opened up about their friendship and close bond.
Holly told The Mirror and other press: "There's a real ease when we work together. It's not like you're going in like, oh we just need to find our feet or rhythm, it's an absolute given. It's nice to be doing something a bit different but still together."
Phil agreed, as he called Holly his "best mate", adding: "The lovely thing is, I get to spend even more time with my best mate."
