Holly Willoughby announces absence from This Morning

This Morning presenter Holly Willoughby will be absent from the show for the "rest of the week" due to illness.

The 42-year-old has already been away along with co-presenter Phillip Schofield, 61, for the Easter holidays, but will extend her leave to recover from shingles.

Writing in an Instagram post, Willoughby said: "Hi... Just to let you know I may be away for the rest of the week as I have shingles... I'll be back as soon as I'm better. Huge love, Holly."

Shingles is an infection that produces a painful rash on the body and is caused by the chickenpox virus, according to the NHS.

It commonly affects the chest or abdomen, but a rash can appear anywhere on the body including the face, eyes and genitals.

The hit ITV talk show confirmed that Schofield will return to the programme on Monday, with former The Saturdays singer Rochelle Humes stepping in for Willoughby.

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The presenting duo have not been seen on the sofa together for some time after Schofield took leave from the show at the beginning of the month.

Schofield's absence came as his brother Timothy stood trial at Exeter Crown Court, where he was found guilty of 11 sexual offences involving a child between October 2016 and October 2019.

Following the verdicts, Schofield branded his brother's crimes "despicable" and said: "As far as I am concerned, I no longer have a brother.

"My overwhelming concern is and has always been for the wellbeing of the victim and his family.

"These are despicable crimes, and I welcome the guilty verdicts."

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During the trial, Timothy Schofield testified that he told his brother Phillip in September 2021 that he and the complainant had watched pornography together.

The This Morning presenter provided a written statement to the trial, which said Timothy "made it sound like a one-off" and that he had told him "it must never happen again".