MOVING ON? - 'GIVE THINGS TIME TO BREATHE AND THE PATH BECOMES CLEAR'

WHAT'S NEXT FOR HOLLY WILLOUGHBY AS THE FALL-OUT WITH PHILLIP SCHOFIELD CONTINUES?

- SUE LEE

There comes a moment in many a long-term relationship when the first tell-tale sign of the rot setting in appears.

Often it’s not that obvious, only coming into focus with hindsight and after the divorce: the atmosphere at that party, the snippy comment, the ill-concealed eye roll.

All partnerships have their ups and downs. For Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield that reached a crescendo last week, with rumours swirling about their future on the famous This Morning sofa.

Reports of a feud surfaced earlier this month, but according to a source there has been tension between them for some time.

Phil subsequently released a statement to try to dampen speculation, but succeeded only in apparently blindsiding Holly and throwing more fuel on the fire.

Now there’s word of PR teams and lawyers being brought in, with the two barely speaking.

And what was it that sparked the beginning of the cooling that we’re seemingly witnessing today? A photoshoot in 2019.

There they were, TV’s golden couple, side by side on the cover of The Sunday Times magazine, looking as much of a team as ever. But for one thing. The crayon crown airbrushed onto Holly’s head. Not her choice, of course. But its appearance said something about how the public viewed her and crucially how we regarded her TV husband.

Phillip, for so long undisputed royalty on the This Morning couch, was in danger of being deposed. The King was on the wane. Long live the Queen.

And now here we are, four years later, with This Morning bosses said to be considering a “seismic shake-up” of the flagship show, with the couple’s once close relationship – family holidays together, long chats on the phone – all but over.