As far as on-screen partnerships go, Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby are up there with the likes of Morecambe and Wise and Ant and Dec.
And just like their fellow TV stars, it’s clear to see their friendship extends far beyond the walls of the This Morning studio.
Phil and Holly were first paired together in 2006, when they were chosen to front ITV’s new skating competition Dancing On Ice, which also marked then-kids TV host Holly’s first foray into mainstream telly.
Producers and viewers alike noticed their chemistry, and when Fern Britton announced she was leaving This Morning in 2009, there was only one obvious choice to join Phil on that famous sofa.
Ten years have since passed, and on Friday, the pair experienced their most emotional on-screen moment yet, as Phillip opened up to his co-host about his sexuality, revealing he is gay.
Phillip told of how Holly had been a rock for him as he worked through a difficult period in his life, with their love for one another shining through the screen.
Holly remarked that she had “never been more proud of my friend than I am today”, adding: “Whatever happens in the future, I’ll be sat by your side forever... we’re all part of this family.”
They were both visibly emotional as Phil described Holly as “the sister he never had” to Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford, with Holly adding that they were “very lucky” and “blessed” to have such a close relationship.
After their heart-warming display of friendship moved many viewers to tears, we’re celebrating their bond with the reasons why Phil and Holly are the ultimate best mate goals...
A shared sense of humour
Phil and Holly’s relationship has been characterised by giggling and a shared naughty sense of humour.
Barely an edition of This Morning goes by where the pair aren’t corpsing on air, usually at an accidental innuendo, some of the ITV daytime show’s more left-field topics, or sometimes for absolutely no reason at all.
And then there’s the times where there’s laughter when they’re trying to be very serious. Speaking of which...
Getting the giggles when they’re not supposed to
You know what its like when you get the giggles at the most inappropriate moment and can’t stifle them – and then before you know it, your best mate is also in hysterics but for no other reason than the fact you are.
Well, this happens to Holly and Phil all the time too, and it utterly joyful to watch.
Getting boozy together...
Phil and Holly are known for their love of a tipple or five, regularly downing booze during This Morning’s food and drink segments.
But their love of getting on the sauce together was no better demonstrated than after the National Television Awards in 2016.
In what has become one of the iconic This Morning moments ever, they turned up to work after a night of celebrating the daytime show’s win at the event in the same clothes as the night before, having not been to bed.
Party animals after our own hearts.
... and pulling each other through the subsequent hangovers
As everyone knows, when you’re still with your pals the following morning, hangovers can often be even more fun than the night out you’ve just had, as Phil and Holly regularly prove.
Every year, the pair support one another as they struggle through the following day’s show, which always makes for chaotic but hilarious viewing.
Their quit pact
Such is Holly and Phil’s bond that neither of them can imagine ever fronting This Morning without the other, hence why they have a pact that if one of them ever quits, the other will follow.
“"We said right from the beginning that if either of us didn’t do it, we wouldn’t want to do it. I can’t imagine This Morning without Phil."”
- Holly Willoughby, 2019
You wouldn’t get many other people willing to give up a hefty six-figure salary for someone else.
Co-ordinating their fancy dress
Each year, This Morning hosts a Halloween extravaganza, with Holly and Phil always throwing themselves into the spirit of things.
And, as anyone who has been to university will attest, co-ordinating your outfit with your best mate is essential, with Holly and Phil showing why this is the case as they transformed into characters from The Wizard Of Oz in 2019.
Holidaying together
Mates holidays are they best, aren’t they? Holly and Phil clearly know this too, taking a summer jaunt away together with their families every year – often inviting Ant and Dec and their partners along as well.
And if their Instagram snaps weren’t already enough to give you holiday envy, the tales of their ridiculous antics certainly will...
“We were at a restaurant and Holly said ‘This is quite close to our house so we will walk back and there’s a beautiful sort of natural park land, with fields and paths.’ And she got us lost. It was pitch black and we were using our phones as torches. We were a little worse for wear and we were essentially lost in the Portugese woodlands for quite some time, all of us.””
- Phillip Schofield, 2019
Putting fallout rumours to bed with dignity
Despite their obvious closeness, Holly and Phillip have still had their fair share of speculation that they fall out behind-the-scenes of This Morning – but the pair always bat it off with class.
After a story was published last year claiming they’d rowed over a magazine cover where Holly was photoshopped to be wearing a crown above the headline “Queen Holly: How Holly Willoughby eclipsed Phillip Schofield and became Britain’s hottest TV star”, Holly silenced everyone by paying tribute to her best friend on Instagram.
As she shared three pictures to the men in her life in celebration of Father’s Day, she wrote: “Talking of important men in my life on Father’s Day. Here’s another one.
“My partner on the telly and one of my best friends in the world... love you @schofe.”
When it was reported that they’d fallen out again later that year, they were pressed about the matter in a joint interview with the Daily Star, in which Phillip said: “We are so open on the show, we are so open online and we go on holiday together... so it’s not as if we have anything to defend. Can you imagine a feud between us ever happening?”
Holly added: “It would be impossible for us to fake our relationship and the laughs.
“We’re on the telly for two-and-a-half-hours and I’m not that good an actress. If I was I’d be doing something else.”
Pulling pranks
One of This Morning’s most memorable stunts ever saw Phillip take advantage of Holly’s gullibility to pull off the ultimate April Fools Day prank, which left her in tears and nearly swearing live on air.
He colluded with the show’s fashion and beauty experts to orchestrate a “makeover” that went horribly wrong, before ending in a car accident.
As Phil revealed it was all a joke, Holly exclaimed: “Oh my God, are you joking? Oh my God that was so awful – I was panicking so much! I can’t believe you’ve just done that to me, you b...
“I can’t swear and I really want to!” she said, having stopped herself from letting something slip out.
Wiping away tears from her eyes, she added: “That’s the best April Fool ever, [but] I hate you all.”
You only get away with that kind of stuff with a true friend.
This Morning airs weekdays at 10am on ITV.
Useful websites and helplines:
- London Lesbian & Gay switchboard (LLGS) is a free confidential support & information helpline for LGBT communities throughout the UK | 0300 330 0630
- Manchester Lesbian and Gay Switchboard is a free support, information and referral service for the Manchester and North-West area | 0161 235 8000
- Stonewall for more information on other LGBT services and helplines | 08000 502020
