Phillip Schofield quits This Morning: From coming out as gay and clashing with Kim Woodburn to THAT post-NTAs show, a look back at his most memorable moments after 21 years
- READ MORE: Was THIS the moment Phillip Schofield knew it was over? Host signed off final This Morning with a simple ‘bye’ – before today’s statement
Phillip Schofield announced on Saturday he would be stepping down from hosting This Morning after 21 years amid his alleged feud with Holly Willoughby.
The broadcaster, 61, said in a statement: ‘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.
‘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.’
Holly said: ‘It’s been over 13 great years presenting This Morning with Phil and I want to take this opportunity to thank him for all of his knowledge, his experience and his humour. The sofa won’t feel the same without him.’
And, as Phillip moves on to other primetime television projects, here are some of his most memorable moments on This Morning over the years…
End of the road: Phillip Schofield, 61, announced on Saturday he would be stepping down from hosting This Morning after 21 years amid his alleged feud with Holly Willoughby, 42
Looking back: As Phillip moves on to other primetime television projects, here are some of his most memorable moments on This Morning over the years…
Phillip Schofield comes out as gay
In February 2020, Phillip came out as gay in a lengthy and impassioned social media post before appearing on This Morning to discuss his announcement with his co-host and friend Holly Willoughby, with Phillip breaking down in tears.
After 27 years of marriage to his wife Steph at the time, he said he had suffered ‘inner conflict’ and was ready to ‘celebrate and be proud’ of his sexuality.
Phillip, who shares daughters Molly, 30, and Ruby, 27, with his wife, spoke about his battles with keeping his secret and the relief of coming out.
A supportive Holly told Phil: ‘I think we all just take a breath at that point, reading that I can hear your voice, the pain, how difficult it is for you, this is a big day. I know this is something you’ve been living with for a really long time.’
Phil responded: ‘It’s funny because everyone I’ve spoken to, and you, have all been so supportive and so loving and caring, and my entire family to a person have grabbed us and said it’s ok, we love you we’re proud of you…’
Speaking about Holly, Phil added: ‘This is the sister I’ve never had.’
Sharing a selfie of the pair behind the scenes on Dancing On Ice on Instagram as she offered threw her support behind Phil before the show, Holly wrote: ‘Never been more proud of my friend than I am today.’
A friend in need: In February 2020, Phillip came out as gay in a lengthy and impassioned social media post before appearing on This Morning to discuss his announcement with Holluy
Phillip and Holly hungover after the NTAs
They liked to let their hair down and get tipsy each year at the National Television Awards.
In 2016, they picked up the award for Live Magazine show and in true tradition downed tequila and partied with the likes of Rylan Clark and Keith Lemon into the small hours.
However, the pair were felling a little worse for wear the following morning, with Holly swanning into work still dressed in her glamorous white ball gown, complete with a piccalilli stain.
Both she and Phillip were seen looking shattered as their silver award gleamed on the table on front of them, while the pair lay flat out on the sofa as the show opened live on air.
Sitting their in his smart black suit and matching tie, Phillip admitted: ‘We’re not actually right. We shouldn’t be here, we shouldn’t be doing this.’
Out for the count: After the National Television Awards in 2016, Phil and Holly were felling a little worse for wear when they appeared on This Morning
Phillip feels the wrath of Kim Woodburn
She caused absolute ripples in the Celebrity Big Brother house with her acid-tongue and fiery nature in 2017.
But Kim Woodburn, 81, showed she was as passionate as ever as she had a very heated argument with Phillip during an interview on This Morning in February the same year, threatening to ‘crucify him’ and calling him a ‘phoney’.
Kim appeared on CBB with Loose Women star Coleen Nolan, with the pair struggling to get along while living together.
Ahead of Kim’s interview, Phil and Holly checked in on the Loose Women and saw Kim and Coleen together in the link.
When Coleen was asked if there was anything she’d like to say to Kim, Coleen smiled and said: ‘No…’ Kim replied: ‘I feel the same way dear.’
‘You’re a PHONEY!’ Kim Woodburn let rip at ‘biased’ Phillip Schofield and branded her CBB housemates ‘nasty pigs’ in VERY heated TV interview on This Morning in 2017
Angry: Phil and Kim came to blows as he quizzed her on her behaviour and she accused ‘biased’ presenter of ‘having no idea what he was talking about’
When Phillip asked what Kim thought when she looked back at some of the footage her arguing with her Celebrity Big Brother housemates, she said: ‘I look back with sadness that it came to that and I said those things, but I’m not sorry I said them.
‘What was happening to me, you’d have to have been a saint and I’m not. I’ve apologised for using the word beginning with “F” and that’s the only shame I feel.’
Holly, a little nervous, asked Kim: ‘Why not leave if you didn’t like it?’
‘Why should I go?’ she hit back. ‘And lose all that money, massive sums of money for those bums. Would you lose a house?’
‘How much did you earn?’ Phillip asked.
‘It’s nothing to do with you,’ she snapped back. ‘How much do you earn?’
‘Well it’s nothing to do with you either,’ he retorted, looking a little stung.
Phil and Holly’s ‘Covid-friendly’ hug
Phillip and Holly enjoyed their first Covid-friendly hug using a plastic screen with in-built sleeves as they reunited on the show after their summer holidays in September 2020.
Their get-together came after Holly cut her seven-week family holiday to Portugal short so she could quarantine to be ready to return to the show in time.
The pair were wearing face-masks with their own faces on them at the start of the show.
Using the screen, Holly and Phil noted it had been six months since they were last able to safely embrace.
The pair were seen their hands through plastic sleeves and hugging with a clear plastic wall between them at a time when Covid guidelines advised people to stay at least two metres apart from those outside of their household.
Safe: Holly and Phillip used a plastic screen with sleeves to have their first hug in six months as they returned to This Morning during the pandemic in September 2020
Been waiting for this: Phil looked delighted as he moved towards Holly with their arms in the protective sleeves
Phillip’s baby names bust-up with Katie Hopkins
Media personality Katie Hopkins was invited on This Morning in 2013 to talk about popular baby names, with former Apprentice star Katie criticising ‘lower class’ children with names like Chantelle, Charmaine, Chardonnay and Tyler.
‘I think you can tell a great deal from a name,’ said Katie. ‘For me, there’s certain names that I hear and I think “urgh”.
‘For me, a name is a shortcut of finding out what class a child comes from and makes me ask: “Do I want my children to play with them?”
‘When I hear screeched across the playground: “Tyler! Come back ‘ere.” It’s the Tylers, the Charmains the Chantelles, the Chardonnays.’
Discussion: Katie Hopkins (pictured) was invited on This Morning in 2013 to talk about popular baby names, with former Apprentice star Katie criticising ‘lower class’ names
Caught out: Katie went on to say she disliked names that are chosen based on geographical locations, to which Phillip pointed out Katie has a daughter named India
A flabbergasted Holly intervened: ‘Listen to what you are saying. You judge children on names. That’s extraordinary.’
Katie went on to say she disliked names that are chosen based on geographical locations, to which Phillip pointed out Katie has a daughter named India.
Former Celebrity Big Brother star Katie insisted: ‘India is a very lovely name for a very lovely child.’
Phillip hit back describing Katie’s argument as ‘a little hollow’.
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