A pundit who has made appearances on This Morning has written about the ‘atmosphere’ backstage following Phillip Schofield‘s exit.
Journalist Camilla Tominey appeared on Monday’s (May 22) show, the first since Phil’s departure was announced.
It was revealed just a couple of days earlier (Saturday May 20) that the veteran host would be ‘stepping down’ from the ITV daytime series with “immediate effect”.
‘Muted atmosphere’
Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond are filling in for Phillip and his now former co-host Holly Willoughby this week. Holly is expected to return to the sofa after half-term on Monday June 5.
But Camilla – who suggested Alison was “nervous” and “comparatively inexperienced” dealing with the brief tribute made to Phillip – suggested the “atmosphere” on the programme was “understandably muted” as This Morning carried on without the personality who had fronted in for over twenty years.
This Morning news
Writing for the Telegraph, Camilla suggested the permanency of Phil’s departure was sealed with the onscreen farewell. She admitted some of those watching at home may have been confused by how the stand in co-hosts swiftly moved on within moments.
“Viewers could perhaps be forgiven for wondering why there wasn’t an Ant and Dec-style montage of his best bits, but this is television, folks,” Camilla wrote.
This is television, folks.
She went on: “Twenty one years on a show summarised in 35 seconds before moving on to the next feature.
“It’s brutal, but that’s the way it works because it’s the only way it can work. The viewers must always come first.”
‘Heartbroken Phillip’
Meanwhile, another talking head has also described Phil’s experience as “brutal” – but in reference to the circumstances regarding his departure, rather than how This Morning moved on to another segment.
Piers Morgan wrote in The Sun that Phillip is “utterly heartbroken” he was denied a final ‘so long’ with viewers.
The former GMB co-host said: “For ITV to not even give him the chance to say a proper goodbye to his large, loyal audience after 21 years struck me as needlessly churlish. And I know he’s utterly heartbroken about it because he told me himself.”
Read more: This Morning fans call out ‘two-faced’ Holly Willoughby as she ‘breaks promise’ to Phillip Schofield
This Morning airs on ITV, weekdays, from 10am.
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