This Morning pays tribute to Holly Willoughby after she quits show
This Morning has paid tribute to Holly Willoughby after she announced she would be leaving the show after 14 years.
Holly announced the shocking news that she would not be returning to present the show last night, describing her departure as a ‘difficult goodbye’.
The mum-of-three hasn’t been on This Morning since last Thursday, after she was pulled off air following the news of an alleged plot to kidnap her had been revealed.
During the show earlier today, hosts Rochelle Humes and Craig Doyle honoured Holly with a kind send-off while reflecting back on her time presenting the programme.
Rochelle started off by saying, “Hello and welcome to your Wednesday’s This Morning. And of course, we want to start by sending our love, best wishes and respect to our Holly”.
Craig went on to say “Last night, Holly made what we know will have been a heartbreaking decision to leave This Morning after 14 years”.
While videos of Holly presenting the show flashed on screen, Humes continued, “Holly loved her job here and was really looking forward to the future of the show, but recent events, especially in the past week, have been hard to deal with, and she is quite rightly putting her family first”.
Doyle then added, “On behalf of everyone here in front and behind the camera, we just loved working with Holly and she made coming to work so much fun. We're all really, really sad, and we're really going to miss her”.
Rochelle closed off by saying, “Holly said she's incredibly proud of what she's achieved on the show and so are we. She will forever be one of us”, before Craig said, “But, as Holly Willoughby knows only too well, the show must go on”.
After revealing she would be leaving the show in a statement posted to her 8.5M Instagram followers, Willoughby explained, “I have let ITV know today that after 14 years, I will not be returning to This Morning. To everyone who has ever worked on the show over the years, thank you so so much”.
“This is such a difficult goodbye, you are incredible and I forever will be proud of what we've done together. Thank you to everyone at ITV for being supportive. To every guest who has sat on our sofa, thank you”.
“Most of all, thank you to the wonderful viewers. You've been so loyal, so supportive and the very best company every day. Richard and Judy said 'we only look after this show, it will always belong to the viewers”.
The 42-year-old finished her message by adding, “It's been an honour to just be part of it's story and I know this story has many chapters left to go. Sadly, however, I now feel I have to make this decision for me and my family. I will miss you all so much”.
