Since Phillip Schofield’s shocking departure from This Morning, Holly Willoughby hasn’t posted on social media again.
The television host, who skipped the ITV morning program during the controversy, returned to screens on Monday, although she hasn’t made a long-lasting Instagram picture since May 18.
She tweeted a picture of herself on Tuesday wearing the outfit she’ll be wearing for the live show that she and Josie Gibson will host.
Willoughby can be seen grinning for the camera while wearing a floral Ghost dress and high-heeled nude sandals.
She captioned the post: “Morning Tuesday… see you on @thismorning at 10am with @josiegibson85… the wonderful @sarah.beeny joins us today to talk about her incredibly important and personal documentary.”
Willoughby made her first on-screen appearance since Schofield quit ITV after admitting to having an affair with a younger male coworker on Monday, when she returned to the program. Her return to the program was eagerly awaited.
In interviews last week, Schofield said that Willoughby had apologized for lying to her and that he was unaware of the “unwise, but not illegal” connection.
Seated next to Gibson, she said: “Firstly, are you OK? I hope so. It feels very strange indeed sitting here without Phil. And I imagine that you might have been feeling a lot like I have – shaken, troubled, let down, worried for the wellbeing of people on all sides of what’s been going on, and full of questions.”
She continued: “You, me and all of us at This Morning gave our love and support to someone who was not telling the truth, who acted in a way that they themselves felt that they had to resign from ITV, and step down from a career that they loved. That is a lot to process.
“And it’s equally hard to see the toll that it’s taken on their own mental health.
“I think what unites us all now is a desire to heal, for the health and wellbeing of everyone.”
Schofield has discussed the negative impact the scandal’s consequences has had on his mental health. Schofield told the Sun that the fallout from the incident has had a “catastrophic effect” on his mind and that he is presently making it “hour by hour.”
In a statement she wrote herself, Willoughby thanked viewers for their support, saying: “I hope that, as we start this new chapter and get back to a place of warmth and magic that this show holds for all of us, we can find strength in each other.
“And, from my heart, can I just say thank you for all of your kind messages and thank you for being here this morning.
“Myself, Josie, Dermot (O’Leary), Alison (Hammond), Craig (Doyle), and every single person that works on this show will continue to work hard every single day to bring you that, this show that we love.”
Willoughby has previously revealed how hurt she was by Schofield’s actions in a statement on her Instagram story, saying: “When reports of this relationship first surfaced, I asked Phil directly if this was true and was told it was not. It’s been very hurtful to now find out that this was a lie.”
Following Schofield’s resignation, former This Morning host Eamonn Holmes and the show’s former resident physician Dr. Ranj Singh each made their own accusations regarding the workplace culture at the program.
ITV’s CEO, Dame Carolyn McCall, has been invited to testify before a parliamentary committee on June 14 to address inquiries over the broadcaster’s handling of complaints and safeguarding in the wake of Schofield’s departure.
