S Poddar
It looked as though Holly Willoughby was throwing some shade at ex-colleague Phillip Schofield, posting a cryptic Halloween-themed message that set the tongues wagging in the minds of some of her fans. On Thursday, Holly posted a photo of model Kate Moss posing on the catwalk back in the 1990s, all dressed up as a witch to the haunting tune of Lana Del Rey’s “Season of the Witch.” It sparked a lot of chatter and gossip.
It’s coming out just as sources have leaked to Heat that Phillip has secretly referred to Holly, 43, as “the witch.” Sources close to the former This Morning presenter said that he feels the mother of three and a senior producer were behind “well-constructed coup” designed to engineer his departure, with Phillip accusing them of colluding to bring him down in an escalating battle between Phillip and ITV over the cause of his resignation from This Morning.
It slowly became tense between what used to be close friends. And then Phillip, in his Channel 5 program Cast Away, had the temerity to pass judgment, stating three people at ITV as “s**ts.” The problem was that he did neither deny nor comment further on who those three individuals might be.
It’s painful to watch for fans as Holly and Phillip fall out. While on This Morning, it’s where they first caught eyes with their chemistry, fans used to adore them together. They vacationed together with their families and went about publicly supporting each other, but the public disintegration of this relationship revealed deep fractures.
He left This Morning in May 2023, with months of media gossip surrounding his break-up with his co-anchor Holly. Within weeks, he made headlines again – this time admitting an affair with a junior ITV colleague, forcing him to leave the network. Phillip is said to be badly hurt, claiming he has confronted Holly, accusing her of “bringing him down” before his resignation.
At a time of year when people would have been celebrating all things spooky and supernatural, Holly had posted her post on witches, which seemed rather well timed. Some observers feel that this was no accident and more of a veiled clap back at her former co-host. The song Lana Del Rey used in her social media post and the picture itself appear to point toward a little more being involved.
The atmosphere between the two has been one of bitterness and unresolved conflict, as against the laughter and genuine camaraderie that once defined them. Holly has kept largely silent on the details while focusing on her career and family, whereas Phillip has become more vocal, especially after leaving the spotlight at ITV. Their fractured relationship has been a talking point in entertainment circles, highlighting how fame and pressure can impact even the closest of bonds.
The fans continue to piece together each of their movements in search of more secrets regarding the real story hidden behind the high-profile drama fallout. Holly, forward moving, seems determined in embracing new opportunities as all the drama of the past follows her. Phillip has appeared to be grappling and seems clouded by a once bright television career overshadowed by controversy. Only time will tell whether one side would tell the whole truth about the situation or if the stress just gradually disappeared.
