This Morning viewers confused as Holly Willoughby is absent from show

This Morning viewers were left confused when Holly Willoughby was a no show on Thursday.

The TV star usually hosts the ITV programme from Monday to Thursday, previously with Phillip Schofield and with a variety of different hosts following his exit earlier this year, including Craig Doyle and Josie Gibson.

But when the latest instalment started (5 October), Gibson was on the sofa along with Alison Hammond, who usually presents with Dermot O’Leary on Fridays.

Read more: Phillip Schofield TV series rumours: Are we still interested in This Morning scandal?

Gibson introduced Hammond – who she is good friends with – and the presenter jokingly responded: “I hope you don’t mind, I got a little bit jealous, I saw you and Holly and you were talking about being blonde and I thought, ‘I’m going to shake this up a bit’.”

Many fans were left wondering where Willoughby was, asking questions about it on social media.

“Where's Holly?” one person asked on Twitter, formerly X.

Another asked if she was having a day off, and someone else suggested the TV star was taking another holiday.

“Just tuned in, is Holly ill or just 'off'?” wondered another viewer.

However, someone else chimed in: “F**** sake will everyone stop wondering where bloody Holly is?

“Perhaps she's got a bloody Harvest Festival assembly for her kids or something, jeez there's some sad sensationalists out there.”

Several viewers also said they liked the Gibson/Hammond presenting partnership.

“They are so funny and sincere,” said one person.

“Can we see more of them please?”

Read more: Holly Willoughby posts sweet message as Alison Hammond shares Bake Off snap

Willoughby presented the daytime programme with Schofield for many years but in May this year he stepped down and admitted to having an “unwise but not illegal” affair with a much younger ITV staff member.

Yahoo has contacted ITV for comment.