Holly Willoughby ‘has plans to QUIT This Morning to pursue opportunities in prime time TV’ after 11 years of hosting the show with Phillip Schofield
- The presenter is said to be seeking other opportunities on prime time TV after setting up her own management company, Roxy Management, earlier this year
- Holly is reportedly planning on focusing more on her career now her children Harry, 11, Belle, nine, and Chester, five, are getting older
- A source claimed: ‘While she loves This Morning, her four-day-a-week live TV stint is a huge drain on her time and requires a lot of energy’
- It was also claimed that This Morning was intending on finding a non-white presenter to fill in Holly’s shoes, should she decide to leave
- However, a separate spokesperson denied the claims and said: ‘Holly loves This Morning and working with Phil. She has no plans to leave’
Holly Willoughby is allegedly planning to leave her role on This Morning, after 11 years of presenting the show alongside Phillip Schofield.
The TV presenter, 39, is said to be seeking other opportunities on prime time TV after setting up her own management company, Roxy Management, earlier this year, a report from The Sun claimed on Saturday.
She is reportedly planning on focusing more on her career now her children Harry, 11, Belle, nine, and Chester, five, are getting older.
Shock: Holly Willoughby ‘has plans to QUIT This Morning to pursue opportunities in prime time TV’ after 11 years of hosting the show with Phillip Schofield, it was reported on Saturday
A source speaking to the publication claimed: ‘Holly is unique in that women like her and want to be her friend and men are attracted to her as she’s so beautiful. She has universal appeal.
‘While she loves This Morning, her four-day-a-week live TV stint is a huge drain on her time and requires a lot of energy, plus she’s been doing it for 11 years now.’
However, a separate spokesperson denied the claims as they told the publication: ‘Holly loves This Morning and working with Phil. She has no plans to leave.’
New ventures? The TV presenter is said to be seeking other opportunities on prime time TV after setting up her own management company, Roxy Management, earlier this year
It was also claimed that Holly has ‘her options option’ for other opportunities, and that This Morning was intending on finding a non-white presenter to fill in Holly’s shoes, should she decide to leave.
MailOnline has contacted Holly, Phillip Schofield and This Morning representatives for comment.
It is understood Holly and Phil are currently earning close to £1 million a year for their roles – up about a quarter from their current £750,000 annual salaries.
Time for a change? A source claimed, ‘While she loves This Morning, her four-day-a-week live TV stint is a huge drain on her time and requires a lot of energy’
Amid calls for the ITV show to hire permanent non-white stars to present the show, Rochelle Humes has been joined by Ore Oduba and Alison Hammond on the presenting rosta during Holly and Phil’s summer vacation.
Earlier this year, The Mail on Sunday revealed that the programme’s editor is seeking to change the line-up to include a permanent black presenter.
In a video conference call with staff, the programme’s editor Martin Frizell said: ‘There is not a black presenter on any of the programmes today.
‘We plan to change that, we [This Morning] are looking into it.’ This Morning has never had a main black presenter since it launched 32 years ago.
Denial However, a separate spokesperson denied the claims as they told the publication: ‘Holly loves This Morning and working with Phil. She has no plans to leave’
Frizell admitted that finding a black candidate ‘won’t be easy’ and while there is no suggestion that either Holly or Phillip are leaving, there will inevitably be speculation that the move could bring an end to their 11-year partnership on This Morning.
An ITV source said: ‘It’s a tough one for Martin. He appeared to really mean what he said so it will be difficult to simply give the presenter the once-a-week Friday slot because he would leave himself open to claims of tokenism.’
Another show insider said: ‘Kudos to Frizell for being the first ITV boss to pledge to make this happen. What we are all wondering now is, ‘Will anyone go and, if so, who?’ ‘
Last October, The Mail on Sunday revealed that the channel had failed to feature a single non-white main host on its entire daytime schedule, although some supporting presenters were from ethnic minorities.
Hosts with the most: Amid calls for the ITV show to hire permanent non-white stars to present the show, Rochelle Humes has been joined by Ore Oduba (L) and Alison Hammond to present
Great news: In a video conference with staff last month, the programme’s editor Martin Frizell said: ‘There is not a black presenter on any of the programmes today. We plan to change that’