Chaos at THIS MORNING

With Holly wanting 'in-demand' Alison as her co-host, it seems there are rising tensions

She once said she’d never present This Morning without her sidekick Phillip Schofield, admitting, ‘It just wouldn’t be the same. The magic of that show is us two together.’ But since Phillip sensationally quit the show earlier this year, and after the demise of their once-strong friendship, Holly Willoughby has been busy holding the fort alongside a series of stand-in presenters.

Now she’s back on our screens after enjoying her extended summer break, and bosses know that the spotlight is on. It’s a new, fresh start that needs to work and gain viewer confidence once more.

But with Holly understood to be keen to sign Alison Hammond as her permanent co-host, and in-demand Alison unable to commit, it looks like there’s increasing stress going on behind the scenes at the hit ITV show…

Tough times ahead 

It can’t be easy for Holly, who has a big job ahead of her to plan her strategy when her first choice as a replacement for Phil, Alison, is so in demand. Alison is hot property in the TV world at the moment, so it’s perhaps no surprise that she wants to keep her options, at least for now, open.

‘Holly would love for them to be a permanent pairing, but these days Alison is in such demand that it is impossible for her to commit to the show full-time,’ a TV source said.

Alison is set to join the Loose Women on their live tour this month, and is co-hosting The Great British Bake Off. And PR expert Dermot McNamara tells Woman that all this uncertainty is causing tension behind the scenes.