As soon as it was revealed that Holly Willoughby was to make an emotional statement on This Morning about the departure of her scandal-hit former co-star Phillip Schofield, social media was awash with predictions of how it might play out.
Shaky voice? Tick. Brimming eyes? Tick. Hug from supportive sidekick? Tick. And — as many sitting at home playing their own games of Holly Bingo expected — she was wearing virginal white.
The colourful, flirty, flowery tea dresses she’s made her daytime telly trademark were ditched. Instead, Holly followed in the footsteps of a long list of celebrities who choose white — the colour of innocence and purity — when seeking to evoke sympathy, while also demonstrating how wholesome and wronged they are.
Husband got a penchant for visiting brothels? Accused of being a workplace bully? Sold secret information about a friend? Want the world to know what rotten meanies your in-laws are? No problem. Simply go on telly looking contrite in white with a wobbly lip and a hanky at the ready and the audience will side with you.
The aim is to look natural and off-the-cuff — however scripted, rehearsed, role-played the words.
And the rest of the ensemble has to be just right, too. It’s no good wearing virginal white if you then sport brazen hussy scarlet lipstick. You can’t take the moral high ground in a low-cut, cleavage-flashing top.
You also need to bin the bling and keep the hairdo simple . . . just like this sad and sorry bunch.
As soon as it was revealed that Holly Willoughby (right) was to make an emotional statement on This Morning about the departure of her scandal-hit former co-star Phillip Schofield, social media was awash with predictions of how it might play out
Holly Willoughby: Let down – and dressed down on daytime TV
‘Are you ok?’ Holly asked the viewers on her return to This Morning on Monday.
She told them the Phil fall out had left her feeling ‘shaken, troubled and let down.’
Her £188 white, sleeveless Reiss shirt dress was buttoned to the neck but, unlike every other day she appears on the sofa, Holly didn’t even tell her 8.3million Instagram followers that her frock came from Reiss.
That’s how shaken and troubled she was.
Rebekah Vardy: Tassels and tissues for a Loose Women sob-fest
In February 2020, after ‘Wagatha Christie’ Coleen Rooney had dramatically accused her of taking stories from Rooney’s private Instagram account and selling them to The Sun, Rebekah Vardy made a tearful appearance on ITV’s Loose Women to talk about the toll the scandal had taken on her health.
Wearing a white tasselled shirt, she clutched a tissue as she sobbed: ‘I ended up in hospital three times. I had kidney stones.’
Wearing a white tasselled shirt, Rebekah Vardy clutched a tissue as she sobbed: ‘I ended up in hospital three times. I had kidney stones.’
Coleen Rooney: Opening up on Wayne’s liaisons in a ruched top
It was in a documentary about her husband for Amazon Prime, released last year, that Coleen Rooney first addressed Wayne’s cheating, including a threesome with two prostitutes.
Wearing a simple white blouse with ruched sleeves, she told her audience how she had forgiven him, before revealing that he wrote her love poems, including one called ‘Wiggle Wiggle’.
It was in a documentary about her husband for Amazon Prime, released last year, that Coleen Rooney first addressed Wayne’s cheating, including a threesome with two prostitutes.
Amber Heard: Virtuous in Virginia after the world learns secrets
Looking like butter wouldn’t melt when your ex has accused you of doing something unmentionable in the marital bed was always going to be tricky, but Amber pulled it off at her and Johnny Depp’s defamation hearing in Fairfax, Virginia, last year.
On day nine of the hearing she wore a white suit by Massimo Dutti, scoring extra ‘pure’ points by putting her hair up in Heidi-style plaits.
Looking like butter wouldn’t melt when your ex has accused you of doing something unmentionable in the marital bed was always going to be tricky, but Amber pulled it off at her and Johnny Depp’s defamation hearing in Fairfax, Virginia, last year
Duchess of Sussex: Ramping up the emotions in her pal’s tailored shirt
The Duchess of Sussex dressed in pastel shades throughout her and Prince Harry’s six-part fly-on-the-wall Netflix series released last December.
But when Meghan tearfully revealed in episode five how she had been a victim of a co-ordinated campaign against her, she ramped it up, wearing a tailored white shirt by her designer bestie Misha Nonoo, as well as white trousers, as she stared down the camera lens, lips atremble and eyes brimming with tears.
The Duchess of Sussex dressed in pastel shades throughout her and Prince Harry’s six-part fly-on-the-wall Netflix series released last December
Ellen DeGeneres: Sensationally sincere in a chat show mea culpa
‘If you’re watching because you love me, thank you,’ said Ellen DeGeneres, while making a live on-air apology in 2020 over allegations that there was a culture of toxic bullying behind the scenes of her popular chat show.
‘If you’re watching because you don’t love me, welcome,’ she added, dressed in a white polo neck and blazer.
Two years later the show was cancelled.
‘If you’re watching because you love me, thank you,’ said Ellen DeGeneres, while making a live on-air apology in 2020 over allegations that there was a culture of toxic bullying behind the scenes of her popular chat show
Lindsey Lohan: A whiter shade of pale — but why the bling ring?
Troubled former child star Lindsay Lohan was on probation for drink-driving when she was accused of stealing a £1,600 necklace in 2011.
She wore a series of white outfits to her hearing where she ended up being sentenced to four months in prison, which she served under house arrest.
But on second thoughts, perhaps she should have left the bling diamond ring at home.
Troubled former child star Lindsay Lohan was on probation for drink-driving when she was accused of stealing a £1,600 necklace in 2011
Anna Sorokin: Fraud fooled no one in court
Posing as a wealthy heiress, Russian fraudster Anna Sorokin swindled more than $200,000 (£161,000) from her victims.
During her 2019 trial in New York, Sorokin arranged for a stylist to put together her wardrobe.
The closer it got to the jury being sent out, the more wholesome and virginal her outfits became.
It didn’t work – she ended up serving two years.
Posing as a wealthy heiress, Russian fraudster Anna Sorokin swindled more than $200,000 (£161,000) from her victims
Gwyneth Paltrow: Heart-tugging performance from a Hollywood A-lister
Gwynnie got it pitch-perfect with her ‘poor me’ appearance in court earlier this year while successfully defending a civil case brought by optometrist Terry Sanderson, who was suing her over a ski accident.
The make-up was minimal, the jewellery understated and the £486 chunky knit by her own G. Label gave her that girl-next-door factor as she spoke sadly of her own loss, including ‘half a day’s skiing’.
Gwynnie got it pitch-perfect with her ‘poor me’ appearance in court earlier this year while successfully defending a civil case brought by optometrist Terry Sanderson, who was suing her over a ski accident
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