Holly Willoughby’s future on Dancing on Ice has been “revealed”.
The spotlight has been on the This Morning presenter ever since rumours of a feud with her former co-host and pal Phillip Schofield began to swirl.
Within a matter of days, Phillip announced his immediate departure from This Morning after 21 years at the helm, and subsequently shocked the world by announcing he had lied about having an affair with a younger man, who worked on This Morning.
After taking a week’s break, Holly made her return to This Morning; however, the scandal left a question mark over whether she would return to Dancing on Ice – which she previously co-hosted with Phillip.
An ITV insider said: “Holly wants to stay on at Dancing On Ice, she’s made that clear to all concerned and everyone at the network is absolutely delighted.”
“They haven’t discussed contracts yet, as that will take place after the summer as always, but she’s indicated it will be business as usual.”
“There have been all kinds of rumours that she is to leave but she loves the programme and has a long history with it.”
The insider continued: “She will have a say in her new co-host, not the final decision, but Holly will be consulted.”
On May 20, Phillip announced his departure from This Morning with “immediate effect”.
In a statement shared to his Instagram Stories, the 61-year-old wrote: “I have always been proud to cover fascinating stories on This Morning. But recently, This Morning itself has become the story.”
“Throughout my career in TV – including the very difficult last few days – I have always done my best to be honourable and kind,” Phillip continued. “I understand that ITV has decided the current situation can’t go on, and I want to do what I can to protect the show that I love.”
“So, I have agreed to step down from This Morning with immediate effect, in the hope that the show can move forward to a bright future. I’d like to thank everyone who has supported me – especially This Morning’s amazing viewers – and I’ll see you all for the Soap Awards next month.”
In a statement released to The Daily Mail on May 26, Phillip admitted to having an affair with a younger man, describing it as “unwise, but not illegal”.
He confessed that he lied about the relationship to ITV, his colleagues, his friends and his agents at YMU.
Phillip also confessed to lying to The Mail on Sunday, which published the story earlier this month.
His statement read: “I am making this statement via the Daily Mail to whom I have already apologised personally for misleading, through my lawyer who I also misled, about a story which they wanted to write about me a few days ago.”
“The first thing I want to say is: I am deeply sorry for having lied to them, and to many others about a relationship that I had with someone working on This Morning,” Phillip continued. “I did have a consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague at This Morning.”
“Contrary to speculation, whilst I met the man when he was a teenager and was asked to help him to get into television, it was only after he started to work on the show that it became more than just a friendship. That relationship was unwise, but not illegal. It is now over.”
“When I chose to come out I did so entirely for my own wellbeing,” Phillip continued. “Nobody “forced” me out. Neither I nor anyone else, to my knowledge, has ever issued an injunction, super or otherwise, about my relationship with this colleague, he was never moved on or sacked by or because of me.”
“In an effort to protect my ex-colleague I haven’t been truthful about the relationship.”
“But my recent, unrelated, departure from This Morning fuelled speculation and raised questions which have been impacting him, so for his sake it is important for me to be honest now,” Phillip continued.
“I am painfully conscious that I have lied to my employers at ITV, to my colleagues and friends, to my agents, to the media and therefore the public and most importantly of all to my family. I am so very, very sorry, as I am for having been unfaithful to my wife.”
Phillip continued: “I have therefore decided to step down from the British Soap Awards, my last public commitment, and am resigning from ITV with immediate effect expressing my immense gratitude to them for all the amazing opportunities that they have given me,” he stated.
“I will reflect on my very bad judgement in both participating in the relationship and then lying about it.”
“To protect his privacy, I am not naming this individual and my deepest wish is that both he and his family can now move on with their lives free from further intrusion, and that this statement will enable them to do so. I ask the media now to respect their privacy. They have done nothing wrong, and I ask that their privacy should be respected.”
You can read a full timeline of the scandal surrounding Phillip here.
