EAMONN Holmes has blasted his former ITV colleagues Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield in a scathing rant.
The ex-This Morning presenter has had his say on the programme’s decision to axe Phillip after we revealed his feud with former best pal Holly.
Phillip Schofield has been axed from This Morning while Holly Willoughby will continue on the show
Eamonn Holmes hasn’t held back on his former co-stars
Speaking today on GB News, Eamonn, 63, raged: “Oh please just stop this. He was sacked. All this nonsense of ‘I’ve decided to step down’. I’m sure you did – here’s your P45 now step down.”
Mimicking ITV golden girl Holly, Eamonn went on: “And she says: ‘Oh, the couch will not be the same without him being there’. Well she wanted him not there. So what is she moaning about? They deserve each other I suppose.”
In recent years, Eamonn has made his disdain for Phillip clear. The bad blood came to the fore after it was revealed Eamonn’s wife Ruth put in a formal complaint about Phillip’s behaviour back in 2019.
It was exacerbated when show bosses decided to mercilessly axe Eamonn and Ruth from their Friday slot on the show in 2021.
Meanwhile, overnight we revealed Phillip is “completely broken” by his sacking.
He will get six months’ wages to soften the blow after ITV decided his feud with Holly Willoughby was losing too many viewers.
A source said: “Phil has been given his This Morning wages for six months — but if that was meant to make him feel better, it’s just not working.
“Phil feels he has been shown zero respect and he is devastated by how this has played out.
“He thinks the way he was forced to step down was so unjust and he feels completely broken by how this situation has been handled.
“This Morning was Phil’s life and now he feels he has been knifed without proper consultation.
“Phil consulted his mum Pat and his ex-wife Stephanie before agreeing to step back.
“He is incredibly close to them both and wanted to gauge their thoughts.
“Phil also spoke with his daughters, Molly — who is a talent agent at his management company YMU — and Ruby.
“It was only after they’d had these discussions that Phil said he would agree to leave.
“Phil has dedicated over 20 years to that show and for it all to end this way has been incredibly upsetting for him.”
The Celeb Report revealed Phil was told he had lost his job on This Morning just minutes after coming off air on Thursday.
Top brass at ITV decided the situation between him and co-host Holly, 42, had become unworkable, with the obvious tension between the pair costing the show almost 200,000 viewers.
Holly, who has worked on This Morning with Phil for 13 years, will stay on as the main presenter and is returning to the show on June 5 after a two-week break.
ITV has confirmed that Monday’s episode will be hosted by Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary.
After learning his fate on Thursday Phil fled to Cornwall to be with mum Pat, 85.
He looked tense on a drive out with her on Saturday afternoon — shortly after news of his departure was announced.
Onlookers said Phil spent up to two hours gazing out to sea while vaping and chatting to his mum.
After the news of his departure was made public by ITV, Phil issued an emotional statement.
However, his failed to mention Holly, confirming The Celeb Report’s original story about the breakdown of their on-screen partnership, which has run for 17 years, including a stint on Dancing on Ice.
Their fall-out reportedly dates back three years to when Holly split from the YMU agency.
She later won a £1million payout from the business, of which Phil is still a shareholder.
Her career blossomed while his started to falter.
Nonetheless, he was thought to earn about £700,000 a year for This Morning, making his golden goodbye likely to be more than £300,000.
He will also continue to work for ITV, live-presenting the British Soap Awards on June 3, plus hosting a new peak-time series.
He wrote on Saturday: “I’ve always been proud to cover fascinating stories on This Morning.
“But recently, This Morning itself has become the story.
“Throughout my career in TV — including the very difficult last few days — I have always done my best to be honourable and kind.
“I understand that ITV has decided the current situation can’t go on, and I want to do what I can to protect the show that I love.
“So I have agreed to step down from This Morning with immediate effect, in the hope the show can move forward to a bright future.
“I’d like to thank everyone who has supported me — especially This Morning’s amazing viewers — and I’ll see you all for the Soap Awards next month.”
Holly, who started on This Morning in 2009, posted on her Instagram: “It’s been over 13 great years presenting This Morning with Phil and I want to take this opportunity to thank him for all of his knowledge, his experience and his humour.
“The sofa won’t feel the same without him.”
Holly is now taking a break from This Morning and before returning to the programme on June 5.
ITV boss Kevin Lygo paid tribute to Phil when news of his departure was revealed.
He said: “Phillip is hands down one of the best broadcasters of his generation and we thank him for his two decades of terrific television on the This Morning sofa.
“This Morning is made by one of the best and most diligent teams in television, who produce over 12 hours of live television each week.”
Eamonn isn’t pulling any punches
ITV has confirmed that Monday’s episode will be hosted by Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary
In the meantime, Holly will be joined by members of the show’s presenting roster — including Joel Dommett
Despite the glowing send-off, those close to Phil said he is struggling to come to terms with the situation.
A source added: “Phil is feeling incredibly upset and is taking some time out to weigh up his options.
“He has privately been sent a number of messages of support from friends in the industry.
“It means a great deal to him that people are taking the time to reach out.”
The stress of his brother’s child sex abuse case had recently put more pressure on Phil and Holly’s working relationship.
Timothy Schofield was jailed for 12 years on Friday after being found guilty of a string of offences, the most serious involving an alleged sex act with a boy.
The Celeb Report understands Holly will be lying low and spending time with her family during her fortnight off.
ITV is expected to make a decision on Phil’s permanent replacement in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, Holly will be joined by members of the show’s presenting roster — Dermot and Alison, plus Josie Gibson, Craig Doyle and Joel Dommett.
