Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield: Their on-screen history together

Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby are set to take a short break from This Morning amid rumours of tension between them.

The Dancing On Ice and This Morning presenters have been close friends off screen for years as well as TV partners. But there have been rumours of problems in their relationship of late.

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Schofield — who recently took some leave around his younger brother's Timothy's sex abuse trial — set the record straight on 11 May.

He told The Sun in a statement: "As I have said before, Holly is my rock. We're the best of friends - as always, she is an incredible support on screen, behind the scenes and on the phone."

Schofield, 61, said Willoughby, who was recently ill with shingles, had always been there for him "through thick and thin".

"And I've been there for her," he said. "The last few weeks haven't been easy for either of us."

As the star rubbishes the gossip, we have a look back at the pair's long friendship.

2006: Teaming up on Dancing On Ice

The pair’s TV partnership — and friendship — started back in 2006 on Dancing On Ice.

Willoughby had shows like CBBC at the Fame Academy and Feel The Fear under her belt, but it was Schofield who was the big star.

He had already made his name on Going Live! and was known to viewers for This Morning when he landed the role on the ice-skating competition.

Willoughby later confessed she was a bit nervous at first as she used to watch Schofe on TV, but that they soon bonded.

Speaking on the Jonathan Ross Show, she said: “I was a bit scared when I first met him but that changed very quickly when I realised he was basically me in the male form."

2009: Schofield wanted Willoughby on This Morning

Schofield had hosted This Morning with Fern Britton but when she left he put in a good word for Willoughby.

In 2017 The Sun quoted him as saying: “We had such fun on DOI that when the position became vacant on This Morning, I said ‘Holly is the only person I want. If I can’t have her I am not playing’.”

Things worked out, and Willoughby took a seat on the sofa in 2009.

She and Schofield have now been hosting together for 14 years.

2020: Phillip Schofield comes out

On 7 February 2020 Schofield, who has been married for nearly 27 years, announced that he was gay in a message posted on Instagram.

He wrote: “You never know what’s going on in someone’s seemingly perfect life, what issues they are struggling with, or the state of their wellbeing — and so you won’t know what has been consuming me for the last few years.

“With the strength and support of my wife and my daughters, I have been coming to terms with the fact that I am gay."

Read more: Phillip Schofield thanks wife and daughters for support as he comes out as gay

He then appeared on the This Morning sofa with Holly Willoughby to share the news on air.

He later he “wouldn’t have wanted anyone else” by his side other than Holly.

He told the BBC’s The One Show that Willoughby was one of the first people he told about his sexuality. He said: “I couldn’t have done that with anyone else, I wouldn’t have wanted anyone else to be sitting by the side of me.

“We’d had a big lead up to that moment and Holly was one of the first people that I told and she’s such a wise person.

“She’s got such a calm, sensitive aura to her.”

2022: Queuegate

In September 2022, Phil and Holly received criticism from some on social media after they appeared inside Westminster Hall on Friday without having taken part in the public queue to attend the Queen's lying in state.

This Morning insisted its presenters did not “jump the queue” — which reached 24 hours in length — and were there to report on the event as media.

Programme bosses said in a statement on Instagram that their hosting duo had attended to film a segment for the ITV show.

Read more: Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield break silence over 'queue jumping' accusations

As This Morning returned to ITV after the state funeral, the pair acknowledged the backlash but stressed they had “respected” the rules set for the media.

During the special episode reflecting on the days since the Queen’s death, Willoughby said in a voiceover: “Like hundreds of accredited broadcasters and journalists we were given official permission to access the hall.

“It was strictly for the purpose of reporting on the event for millions of people in the UK who have not been able to visit Westminster in person.

“The rules were that we would be quickly escorted around the edges to a platform at the back.

“In contrast, those paying respect walked along a carpeted area beside the coffin and were given time to pause.

“None of the broadcasters and journalists there took anyone’s place in the queue and no one filed past the Queen. We of course respected those rules.

“However, we realise that it may have looked like something else, and therefore totally understand the reaction. Please know that we would never jump a queue.”

2023: Rift rumours

In 2023, Schofield took a break from presenting This Morning while his younger brother Timothy was on trial for child sexual abuse charges, for which he was found guilty on 11 offences. Willoughby also took time off the show, with her reps telling press she was suffering with shingles.

However, tabloid reports suggested a rift had grown between the pair and in May 2023 The Sun claimed that the pair were "barely speaking"after their relationship had "cooled".

Read more: Awkward? Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby ignore reports of rift on This Morning (The Guardian, 2 min read)

Schofield responded telling the paper: "The last few weeks haven’t been easy for either of us.”

“As I have said before, Holly is my rock.

“We’re the best of friends — as always, she is an incredible support on screen, behind the scenes and on the phone.

"Holly has always been there for me, through thick and thin. And I’ve been there for her."

The pair are due to take a week off from presenting This Morning — as they usually do — for the upcoming half-term, so will be off air from Friday, 26 May, and returning on Monday, 5 June.

What have they said about each other in the past?

The stars have always spoken about being close friends during their time together on TV and have regularly opened up about how well they get on. Both have referred to the other as their “bestie” in interviews and on social media.

Speaking on Jonathan Ross in 2021, Willoughby said she felt lucky to work with Schofield.

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

"I do really love him. I really love him,” she went on.

The partnership isn’t limited to the screen, with Willoughby and Schofield spotted out together when they aren’t working.

Read more: Alison Hammond reveals she invited Prince William and Kate to her house for dinner

They have also been away together, heading off on holidays together with their families.

In 2019 Schofield and his family joined Willoughby and her husband Dan Baldwin and their kids in Portugal for a sunny break.

Watch: Phillip Schofield "shocked" by brother admitted to sexually abusing a teenage boy