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Holly Willoughby: Kay Burley accidentally calls This Morning host 'Hollow' on air

The This Morning star made an on air statement about Phillip Schofield's resignation on her return to the ITV show.

Watch: Kay Burley accidentally calls Holly Willoughby 'hollow'

Holly Willoughby has been dubbed "Hollow Willoughby" by Sky News presenter Kay Burley in an on-air slip-up.

The This Morning star returned to the ITV daytime show for the first time since Phillip Schofield announced he was was stepping down as her co-host, before quitting over revelations he had a secret affair with a younger production assistant.

Burley mispronounced her name as she told Sky News viewers: "Also on the programme for you - Hollow Willoughby is due back on the sofa at This Morning..."

Read more: Holly Willoughby: ‘We gave love and support to someone who was not telling the truth’

One viewer joked: "Miaow Kaye! [sic] By pure accident I'm sure, you referred to Hollow Willoughby instead of Holly. Don't worry lass...it happens..remember the presenter who inadvertently called Jeremy Hunt 'Jeremy ****.' These things happen. lol."

But Burley wasn't the only one calling the Dancing On Ice presenter "hollow" following her statement on This Morning, which many viewers have dubbed "fake" and "insincere".

Willoughby, 42, sounded shaken as she told viewers: “Firstly, are you okay? It feels very strange indeed sitting here without Phil.

Holly Willoughby said she felt “shaken, troubled, let down and worried” as she returned to This Morning after the Phillip Schofield affair furore.
Holly Willoughby said she felt “shaken, troubled, let down and worried” as she returned to This Morning after the Phillip Schofield affair furore.

"I imagine you might have a feeling a lot like I have - shaken, troubled, let down and worried for the wellbeing of people on all sides of what’s been going on. And full of questions.

One viewer tweeted: "Alison's comments last week were heartfelt, you could tell she was upset. Holly Willoughby this morning has done herself no favours, she's come across fake and emotionless, you could tell it wasn't even her words, but ITV and their legal team! She needs to go too #ThisMorning"

Kay Burley, Sky Central News Studio (Sky News / Tim Anderson)
Kay Burley called the This Morning presenter Hollow Willoughby on Sky News. (Sky News)

Another said: "I don't think I've seen anything quite as patronising as Holly Willoughby rocking up to tell us how we must be feeling ...most people appear to be happy he has gone #GMB"

And another claimed: "The most insincere part of that Holly Willoughby video (as if you can choose just one part) is that bit about “warmth and magic” oh come on love it is a mid-morning magazine show structured to within an inch of its life. It’s not Disneyland."

Watch: Holly Willoughby makes statement on This Morning

One viewer observed: "Holly Willoughby talks about a desire to 'heal' for the 'health and wellbeing of everyone'. #ITV bosses will really need to follow-up on this statement with action, otherwise it'll render this statement as nothing more than hollow words."

Willoughby was last seen on the ITV daytime show on Thursday 18 May. Two days later Schofield announced he was was stepping down as her co-host, and has since quit TV altogether over revelations he had a secret affair with a younger production assistant.

Read more: Sky News' Sophy Ridge makes Jeremy Hunt C word slip without even noticing

The mother-of-three always takes the school holidays off work, and has spent half-term with her family on holiday in Portugal.

While Willoughby was off screen Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary held down the fort on the This Morning sofa.

Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield hosted This Morning together for 13 years. (ITV)
Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield hosted This Morning together for 13 years. (ITV)

During her absence Schofield, 61, has resigned from ITV completely after confessing to having a secret affair with a younger production assistant on the show.

Hammond tearfully addressed his confessions on the show on Friday 2 June, saying: "I am just finding it really painful, because obviously, you know, I loved Phillip Schofield and it's weird, because I still love Phillip Schofield.

Philip Schofield: Read more

She added: "As a family we are all really still struggling to process everything."

In an interview with the BBC's Amol Rajan Schofield called Willoughby his "TV sister" and said he had "lost everything".

He apologised to Willoughby for lying to her about his relationship when he spoke to The Sun.

He said: “I’ve lost my best friend. I let her (Holly) down. I let that entire show down. I let the viewers down.

“Holly did not know (about the affair) and she was one of the first texts that I sent, to say: ‘I am so, so sorry that I lied to you’.

“She didn’t reply and I understand why she didn’t reply, as well. So yeah. If anyone is in any way linking Holly to this; that is ­absolutely, wholly untrue.”

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

Since Schofield's departure pictures have emerged of him and Willoughby with his younger lover while he was still working on the show.

Watch: Timeline of Phillip Schofield's departure from This Morning