This Morning has been thrown into chaos following the events of the last few months. Surrounded by drama surrounding its presenters, what does the future of the beloved ITV breakfast show look like? We dive into what we can expect from the future of the show…
This Morning’s turbulent 2023
Before we discuss what’s next for This Morning, let’s look at the events for 2023 that has left the show with a somewhat uncertain future. Back in May, Phillip Schofield announced that he was leaving This Morning after growing speculation of a rift between his former close friend, Holly Willoughby.
He later released a statement confirming that he had an affair with a younger male employee at ITV, which he described as “unwise but not illegal”. Despite meeting him when the employee was a teenager, and helping him land a job at ITV, Phillip claimed that he relationship only began when the unnamed man was 20, and that no one was aware of their relationship, including Holly and the management across This Morning.
Following his resignation, ITV confirmed that they would be carrying out an external review of the situation, with chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall saying: “[Jane Mulcahy KC] will review our records and talk to people involved. This work will also consider our relevant processes and policies and whether we need to change or strengthen any.”
Following the scandal surrounding Phillip’s exit, Holly returned to the show and gave a statement where she said she felt “let down” by her former close friend and co-star.
Holly Willoughby’s exit
Holly quit This Morning around four months after Phillip’s exit after a man was charged with soliciting a kidnap and murder plot involving the TV personality. Shortly after the suspect was arrested, Holly released a statement confirming that she wouldn’t be back to the show, which read: “I've let ITV know today that after 14 years, I will not be returning to This Morning.
"To everyone who has ever worked on the show over the years, thank you so so much. This is such a difficult goodbye, you are incredible and I forever will be proud of what we've done together. Thank you to everyone at ITV for being supportive. To every guest who has sat on our sofa, thank you. Most of all, thank you to the wonderful viewers. You've been so loyal, so supportive and the very best company every day.
"Richard and Judy said, 'We only look after this show, it will always belong to the viewers'. It's been an honour to just be part of its story and I know this story has many chapters left to go. Sadly, however, I now feel I have to make this decision for me and my family. I will miss you all so much.”
What is next for This Morning?
Following Holly’s exit, the show was presented by Rochelle Humes, who regularly stands in for presenters, and Craig Doyle, who has occasionally presented the show since 2021, but has taken on a more permanent role since Phillip’s exit. However, it has yet to be confirmed if this pairing will take over on a permanent basis following Holly’s exit. After Phillip quit, the show instead had a rotation of presenters to star alongside her including Dermot O’Leary, Alison Hammond, Josie Gibson, Steve Jones, Joel Dommett, Ben Shepherd, and Andi Peters. HELLO! has reached out to This Morning representatives for information.
Despite speculation that This Morning might be ending following Holly’s exit, the managing director of media and entertainment at ITV Kevin Lygo has opened up about the future of the show, telling the Mail Online: “Holly has brought her unique brand of warmth, energy, humour and fun to one of the country's most popular daytime shows, and everyone on the programme will miss her enormously. She remains a much loved member of the ITV family and we look forward to continuing to work with her in the future.”