Holly Willoughby almost quit ITV’s This Morning, sources have claimed.
The star presenter was seemingly thinking about departing the daytime magazine show, amid her dramatic fallout with her co-host Phillip Schofield, 61.
An inside source has confirmed that Holly, 42, could be thinking abut removing herself from the show in order to protect her long-term career after it was reported that her friendship has cooled with her co-host.
READ MORE: Phillip Schofield ‘will leave This Morning if pushed’ – but only if he gets better job
A source told The Mirror: “By removing herself from the situation she could protect herself better,”
Holly first joined the show in 2009 after she was previously chosen to present Dancing On Ice in 2006 alongside Phillip.
But in recent months, rumours that the This Morning duo’s friendship has thawed have been running wild, with the latest development suggesting Holly is ready to end their partnership.
It has been reported that Philip has brought in lawyers whilst Holly has hired her own PR consultants to help her navigate the crisis.
The source claimed: “Holly is sick of being lied to,”
“She feels trapped. She knows she could easily find another job at a different channel, so it’s up to ITV to give her assurances that she’ll be taken care of if she stays put.”
It was previously reported that their friendship was “cooling”, and Phil himself recently confirmed in an ominous statement that “the last few weeks haven’t been easy” for either him or Holly in a last-ditch attempt to save their friendship.
He told The Sun : “As I have said before, Holly is my rock,”
“We’re the best of friends – as always, she is an incredible support on screen, behind the scenes and on the phone. Holly has always been there for me, through thick and thin. And I’ve been there for her.
“And Holly’s support throughout meant the world to me, as did the support of my bosses at ITV, my editor Martin Frizell and the whole This Morning family, including our amazing viewers.
“And of course, Holly has herself been ill with shingles.”
This comes after The Daily Star reported that Phillip Schofield ‘will leave This Morning if pushed’ – but only if he gets better job.
Although Holly ‘isn’t leaving’ the show anytime soon, celebrity psychic Inbaal Honigman reckons Phil’s exit would be “sudden”.
Honigman spoke exclusively to Daily Star following reports of a growing rift between Holly and Phil behind the scenes of their hit morning show.
She said: “Phil is having a hard time, but won’t leave of his own accord, without a good offer of another job. If he’s asked to leave, he will. If offered a good opportunity elsewhere, he’ll go.”
When asked how Phil’s This Morning exit would happen, she went on: “When and if Phil leaves or is asked to leave, he will just miss a show, then perhaps another show, and then an announcement will follow only after. If the atmosphere at work becomes too much for him to bear, he’ll simply stay at home, no fireworks.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk