ITV boss says Holly and Phil have been 'misrepresented' amid queue jump row

The woman behind a petition to get Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield axed from This Morning has said it's "destroying" her.

The chief executive of ITV has spoken out on the 'queue-gate' drama that has engulfed two of its biggest stars, Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield, this week. The This Morning hosts came under fire from viewers earlier this month after being accused of skipping the queue to see the Queen lying in state.

K.J. Yossman ITV chief executive Carolyn McCall defended the network’s morning show anchors Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby over allegations that they skipped a five-mile long queue to see Queen Elizabeth II lying in state two weeks ago. Ever since Schofield and Willoughby, who host “This Morning” were seen on the live-feed of the lying-in-state, walking through Westminster Hall via the VIP line, the duo have been the subject of much criticism, particularly on social media. A petition titled ‘Axe Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby from TV’ has amassed over 75,000 signatures. Speaking at the Royal Television Society (RTS) annual convention in London on Tuesday afternoon, McCall defended Schofield and Willoughby and said that ITV had even contacted Domino’s Pizza U.K. to complain about a light-hearted tweet the pizza company had posted poking fun at the controversy.

ITV have shut down reports Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield were not on official Westminster list to see Queen lying-in-state as part of the world's media. This comes after The Mail on Sunday claimed that the This Morning presenters were not on the list and instead it was the names of the production team that were used to help them gain access.

Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield have been subject to a tirade of backlash since they 'skipped the queue' to visit the Queen lying in state. Following the public outrage, a petition to have the two sacked from their jobs as hosts on This Morning has received over 70,000 signatures. And amid the ongoing backlash, ITV bosses are said to have a "major concern" that the presenters will be booed at the forthcoming National Television awards ceremony.

Eamonn Holmes has hit out at Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield branding the pair “arrogant” as they continue to face a backlash over claims they jumped the queue to see the Queen as she was lying-in-state last week. Earlier this week, the veteran presenter took a swipe at the duo after he was spotted liking a meme of himself and wife Ruth Langsford laughing, with the words: “When you reach the front of the queue.” On Thursday he once again doubled down on his attack of the presenters actions, as he branded both Holly and Phil as “liars.” Eamonn dubbed the duo “arrogant” on GB News, as his co-anchor Isobel Webster could be seen browsing through the morning’s papers.

Things between This Morning and Holly Willoughby are said to be “tense” as she continues to find herself at the centre of a “queue jumping” row alongside fellow presenter Philip Schofield. While the pair, who have presented the popular daytime show together since 2009, are known for their bubbly personalities and infectious laughs, fans have claimed that the show has been a lot more subdued following accusations of queue-jumping at the late Queen’s lying-in-state As a result of the accusations, 41 year old Holly is said to have been left “angry” by the situation. Speaking to The Sun, a source said: “She feels like she has been left out to dry by ITV in some aspects and is understandably very angry.

Good Morning Britain viewers were left fuming with ITV for letting Holly and Phil off over the queue jumping row. On Tuesday's episode of GMB, co-hosts Susanna Reid and Ben Shephard discussed people jumping the queue to see the Queen lying in state at Westminster Hall, after the show had hit out at various politicians for skipping the wait last week.