HOLLY Willoughby “threatened to quit This Morning over the queue-jumping crisis” that has blown up on social media after the ITV daytime star lied about not jumping the queue, or filing past the Queen at Westminster Hall.
Willoughby poured more fuel on the social media fire this morning after she doubled down ITV denials on ‘Queue-Jump-Gate’ as 15,000 Brits signed a petition for Holly and co-star Phillip Schofield to be sacked.
Willoughby, 41 and Schofield, 60 came back on air after the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on Tuesday, and refused to apologise for allegedly pushing a disabled mother out of the queue so they could file past the Queen – as claimed by multiple eye-witnesses.
As the pair denied queue jumping, with Holly producing a piece of pro-This Morning propaganda in which the former CITV star insisted they would “never jump a queue” as rhe show addressed the controversial visit to see the Queen lying in state.
Willoughby said during a VT: “Like hundreds of accredited broadcasters and journalists we were given official permission to access the hall.”
“None of the broadcasters and journalists there took anyone’s place in the queue and no one filed past the Queen. We of course respected those rules.”
“However, we realise that it may have looked like something else, and therefore totally understand the reaction. Please know that we would never jump a queue.”
Then, in true W1A style, shock video footage emerged online that showing that Phillip, Holly and This Morning’s editor Martin Frizell jumped the queue, as thousands waited in line in the background.
Footage also showed Phillip and Holly filing past the Queen – proving Holly’s statement was a lie.
Telly sources told Politicalite: “Philip and Holly are dumbstruck at the level of anger they’ve received in the past few days.”
“They’ve been left astonished at the way the whole thing has mushroomed. They felt ITV should have made it clearer, right away, that it was part of a broadcast.”
“Holly, in particular, has been left totally distraught by this. She’s been in floods of tears at some of the things she’s been called and of the behaviour she’s been accused of.”
The insider went on to detail how Holly has been left “heartbroken” that “people think she would behave” in that way.
They are a close knit team but there is a concern at how it has impacted on Holly and has left many wondering if it’s pushed her close to the exit,” the source concluded.
An ITV spokesperson denied the claims and told Politicalite that there are ”no plans” for Holly to quit the show.”
More follows.
