EAMONN Holmes has launched a ferocious attack on Holly Willoughby tonight – saying she should never return to the This Morning sofa.
In a mauling of his former co-presenter, Holmes accused Holly of being “distant” with the This Morning crew and not even knowing their names – something he also accused Phil of.
And he went on to accuse Willoughby, 42, of launching a campaign of “distancing herself” from a scandal that has brought the ITV daytime show to its knees.
Speaking to GB News on Monday, Eamonn fumed: “Not only should Phillip go, but Holly should follow him out the door.
“I don’t think you’ll ever see Holly back on the couch again.
“Holly doesn’t know people’s names, either.
“This is legendary within the production teams, that how distant they are and how they just don’t care.”
He went on, blasting: “There are people who say for her it’s not about what Phillip did, it’s not about protecting the young fella involved.
“There are financial experts who would say it’s about brand protection with her, her company, and advertising deals which looks like she’s distancing herself from to protect herself.”
Phil, 61, was given his marching orders from This Morning last week amid a row that he lied about an affair with a much younger runner.
The revelations saw the show catapulted into chaos – with Holly’s future on This Morning now in doubt.
Last night, a This Morning insider told The Sun: “It’s all out war.
“There is blood on the walls. All bets are off now and household stars cannot be held back.”
Holly later came out with a statement accusing Phil of lying to her about his affair.
She wrote on Instagram: “It’s taken time to process yesterday’s news.
“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.”
Discussing the affair in detail, Eamonn alleged how ITV would provide “taxis” for Phillip’s runner lover and Thursday nights were “playtime” for the pair.
He explained: “He [the lover] would arrive much earlier in the morning than I would for the programme, that he was delivered from Philip’s London home.
“Usually on a Friday morning, because Thursday was playtime when he and Phillip would hit the town and then he obviously stayed overnight.
“There are records to show that he was brought in the next day separately in cars paid for by ITV.”
Asked by presenter Dan Wootton whether he is in contact with Phillip’s lover, Eamonn said he isn’t, but wife Ruth is.
He said: “I think life’s tough for him. I ask why Schofield put that statement out.
“I’d say that suddenly you ask a question of that young colleague and you’re faced with top, top London lawyers.
“There’s an incredible duty of care that needs to go towards that young man.
“This hasthtag be kind company don’t seem to care when people harm themselves or commit suicide through their programmes so why would they care bout people who aren’t known behind the scenes?”
Eamonn also accused Phil of “controlling and coercive behaviour” and said staff on This Morning were “frightened” of him.
It comes as show insiders said all traces of Schofield and his career were being torn down by order of editor Martin Frizell so it will be “like he never existed”.
