Holly Willoughby breaks her silence on claims she’s quitting This Morning

Holly Willoughby
(Image credit: Getty)

Holly Willoughby has hit back at 'hurtful' claims she's quitting This Morning

Holly Willoughby has lashed out at 'hurtful' claims she's quitting This Morning.

The TV presenter who hosts the ITV daytime show alongside Phillip Schofield has broken her silence over the rumors that she's hanging up her presenting cue cards after 12 years.

Speaking on the Jonathan Ross Show, Holly, admitted it was sometimes 'difficult' to deal with the scrutiny surrounding her job

Holly admitted, "I do really love him (Schofield). I really love him. We’re lucky. We really are. I’ve read those things too. It hurts sometimes because it’s so unfair and untrue, so it’s difficult sometimes."

"We’re just incredibly lucky. So no, I’m not retiring. That’s a really long answer."

Holly previously revealed the 'terrifying' moment she almost quit This Morning.

And fans started speculating that Holly was leaving after she started working on solo projects including her new lifestyle brand Wylde Moon and she recently celebrated her career milestone after releasing her debut book Reflections.

One Twitter user tweeted, 'I wonder how much truth there is in the @hollywills quit over pay’ rumours… #ThisMorning' 

Another put, '@hollywills @Schofe and @thismorning Quick one, you are not leaving @thismorning are you???'

Holly, who welcomed a new addition to the family, also started the speculation when she worked with Bradley Walsh on new show Take Off.

And a third fan added, 'Apparently everyone is devastated that Holly Willoughby is leaving Phillip Schofield to go and work with Bradley Walsh ...'

A photo posted by on

Discussing retiring with the other guests, she said, "I never think like that. I feel very lucky to be on that show. The show changes so much, I think that’s the beauty of This Morning.

"Recently it’s had the highest ratings it’s had in 15 years. It’s doing really, really well which is extraordinary for a show that’s been around for as long as it has. And I think because it changes and it evolves and it adapts.

She added, "But I think that show has something to teach us a little bit, as long as we keep evolving and changing and moving on and happy to flow with things…"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsUe2MNdbTo

Holly Willoughby has previously admitted what kind of different direction she is keen to go in away from This Morning. Speaking on Lorriane to promote her book, she was quizzed over whether in future she wanted to become the voice of a "movement" and the TV star was keen.

She said, “I think I would like to, there is no doubt about it that this is an area of my life I would like to explore more.

“I feel incredibly passionate about women’s issues and I feel I have a responsibility and a need within me to move it forward a bit myself.

“It would be wrong not to. I surround myself with women and we are the lucky ones.

“There are women who don’t have the opportunities I have, who don’t have the resources I have and this is particularly an area I want to explore.

“I think that is where I am going to, that is my next phase in life. That is my passion and life can only be about passion now,” she added.

Dermot O'Leary and Alison Hammon to host the Friday shows, taking over from Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford, but when it comes to her partnership with Phil, she wouldn't do it with anyone else.

She explained, ‘I can’t imagine a world without him being there. It just wouldn’t be the same. The magic of that show is us two together when we’re together.

‘Fridays are different – Dermot and Alison have their own unique magic. Co-hosts like that don’t come along very often so when they do you have to hold tight.’

Jonathan Ross airs at 10.05pm on ITV and ITV hub

Selina Maycock
Senior Entertainment Writer

Selina is currently a Senior Entertainment Writer for Goodto.com, formerly Senior Entertainment writer for Woman&Home, and My Imperfect Life and has more than 16 years of experience in newspapers, magazines and online. She currently writes a mix of Entertainment news - including celebrity births, weddings and reality show line-ups including Strictly, Dancing On Ice and The Great British Bake Off, reporting the the latest news about the Royal kids Prince George, Charlotte, Louis, Archie and Lilibet as well as Family news stories from baby names to store closures and product recall warnings. Before joining Future Publishing, Selina graduated from the University of Sheffield in 2006 with a degree in Journalism. She is fully NCTJ and NCE qualified and has 100wpm shorthand. When she's not interviewing celebrities you can find her exploring new countryside walking routes, catching up with friends over good food, or making memories.