Morning TV viewers will avidly be watching for any change in the chemistry between Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby when the pair return together on the ITV Good Morning sofa for the first time since her illness and his leave of absence due to his brother’s child sex child convictions.
A lot has happened since their last appearance together as a presenting duo — and there are rumours it has got production chiefs at the show considering a reshuffle that may see Schofield edged out of the programme altogether. One of the biggest events was the stellar rise in popularity of Alison Hammond, who formerly roamed the periphery of the daytime production as a showbiz reporter and interviewer.
But it was when Schofield disappeared from our screens for a few weeks and Hammond teamed up with Willoughby, that showbiz gold dust descended as audiences nationwide took this new partnership to their hearts and social media went mad about the girls. It begs the question for IT bosses of what they might choose to do about it.
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On the one hand Hammond is suddenly hot property and the show’s producers will be struggling to stave off offers from rival channels, meaning the former Big Brother contestant may not be happy to remain in a lesser role on This Morning. On the other hand, Schofield’s popularity has taken a bit of a nosedive lately, with recent issues in his personal life threatening to overshadow the presenter’s two decades at the co-hosting helm.
According to the Mail Online, ITV chiefs are sensitive to what is said about the programme, especially from fans who take to social media to air their views. It appears they are taking note that many viewers are beginning to tire of the 61-year-old and think he should step back — indeed, says the Mail, there are petitions online demanding his removal.
To add to his woes, Hammond was recently hailed as the “saviour of This Morning” after being promoted to main presenter in January 2022. Then, in March, she was named as the new host of Channel 4’s Great British Bake Off, catching her ITV employers by surprise.
This may mean the bosses at This Morning will have to maintain her higher profile, particularly as Willoughby, 42, was said to have adored working with her. One source told the Mail: “It’s a case of both things colliding. Fans say they are over Phil and they love Alison.”
It was notable to many observers that when Willoughby was away last week, Hammond was not chosen to pair up with Schofield. According to some reports, Schofield insisted Rochelle Humes, 34, should be the co-presenter.
Although Schofield has very loyal — and some quite powerful — supporters behind the cameras, Hammond’s star is certainly rising very fast – as demonstrated by other channels trying to steal her.
If Schofield does leave, it will mean the end of a famous television partnership on daytime TV sofas, up there with legends such as Richard and Judy, Anne and Nick, Des and Mel, and Eamonn and Ruth.
Willoughby was due to have joined Schofield on This Morning last week, but her illness postponed the reunion, leading to sceptical speculation as reported in the Mail that it was perhaps convenient that she should not be sharing the sofa with him in the light of recent events in his personal life.
The website also reported that the dilemma was not the only one facing bosses. They reportedly face losing 38-year-old Josie Gibson, another former Big Brother star, who has proved hugely popular as a stand-in for Phil and Holly, and who is understood to be growing tired at her lack of air time.
