Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary 'fuming' over toe-curling Phillip tribute
Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary opened Monday's episode of This Morning with a tribute to Phillip Schofield following his departure from the show after his 21 year reign on ITV.
Phillip, 61, left the ITV programme following reports of a rift between himself and co-host Holly Willoughby.
Opening the show last Monday, Alison described Phillip as 'one of the best live television broadcasters this country has ever had' as the brief 35-second tribute began.
She added how everyone on the show wished him 'all the best for the future' as she and Dermot filled his and Holly's shoes following his resignation from This Morning.
"We can't start today's show without paying tribute to the man who spent the last two decades sitting on the This Morning sofa, Phillip Schofield," Alison said.
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Alison and Dermot were livid that they had to pay tribute to Phillip (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)"Everyone on and off the screen at ITV and This Morning want to say a huge thank you to Phil for what he's done to make this show a success over the last 21 years," Dermot continued.
"Quite simply we all know he's one of the best live television broadcasters this country has ever had and we, and all the team, wish him all the best for the future," Alison added.
Following their very brief statement, Alison and Dermot were slammed by This Morning viewers for their 'lack of emotion' and 'insincere' words.
One week on, after Phillip confessed to having an affair with a much younger ITV staff member and after he has been dropped by ITV and his talent agency YMU, Alison and Dermot are said to have been left 'livid' after they were forced to pay tribute to Phillip.
Behind-the-scenes the This Morning duo are said to be fuming at having to make a toe-curling statement in front of millions of ITV viewers.
A source said: “Both are furious. The telling thing in all of this is the silence where Phil’s colleagues could have stepped in to back him. No one wants to be damaged by association.
“There is a real shock behind the scenes that such a successful show has been so badly hit by the actions of one presenter.
Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary filled in for Holly and Phil amid the drama (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)“The thinking last week was that when it returned after the summer, Phil would not be replaced by one person – but that there’d be a rolling rota on the sofa, much like there is on Good Morning Britain. But now those conversations seem irrelevant.”
It comes after This Morning star Dermot refused to comment on Phillip bombshell confession to an affair with a much younger member of ITV staff while he was still married.
In a bombshell statement, which can be read here in full, Phillip admitted the affair but refused to name his former colleague, with whom he had a relationship with.
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As the fallout of Phil's bombshell statement rumbles on, 50-year-old Dermot declined to comment on the matter when approached by press.
The former X Factor host was questioned about Phillip's affair by a Sky News reporter as he walked down the street in London on Saturday.
As the This Morning host was quizzed on Phillip's recent admission, Dermot replied: "I don’t think it’s appropriate to comment, if that’s okay.
Phillip confessed to having the affair in a bombshell statement (ITV)"Sorry, I know you’ve been waiting a long time. But like I said, I don’t think it’s appropriate, especially with no knowledge, I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to comment on a story I don’t know."
While Holly Willoughby has since broken her silence on Phillip confession, claiming that she is deeply 'hurt' by her former friend's handling of the situation.
Holly's statement read: "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. Holly."
Alison, meanwhile, is yet to make a public statement.
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