Holly Willoughby is taking an unannounced break from This Morning, with Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary stepping in to host the programme this week.
A summer break is nothing new for Holly, who usually takes seven weeks off presenting the ITV daytime each year over the school holidays, but she usually says farewell to viewers.
This time though, Holly did not address her exit on-screen and last Thursday, she signed off without mentioning the fact she won’t be back until September, notes The Sun.
HuffPost UK has contacted ITV for further comment.
Holly has been hosting This Morning with a rotating set of co-presenters since Phillip Schofield’s shock exit in May,
The pair used to post about their summer break on social media too. Last year, Phil shared a selfie of himself and his then-BFF alongside the words: “To the bestest human. Thank you for an amazing series @hollywilloughby. Happy summer break, see you in September.”
Holly reposted the snap, adding: “And you my darling... Love you... See you soon handsome pants!”
Rochelle Humes previously confirmed that she would be returning to This Morning to co-host over the summer holidays, and it is thought a rotation of the show’s team will all help fill in for Holly.
Holly did share a post on Instagram over the weekend, announcing the sad death of her mother-in-law.
Alongside a picture of herself and Sandra, her husband Dan Baldwin’s mother, Holly wrote: “Sleep well Sandra… Nonna, Mother, Sister, friend… To know her was to know strength itself… Raising four children after losing her husband, she then lost a son and more recently her sister.
“Thank you for your guidance, advice and bottomless Prosecco. Thank you for raising the incredible man I’m married to… I see your strength everyday in our children… Be at peace…Love you.”
After 14 years of working together on This Morning, Holly and Phil were reported to have had a falling out this year – which sparked a chain of events that led to Phil’s exit from the show.
Reports of a feud between the pair emerged on 10 May and Phil soon spoke out to deny them, but added fuel to the fire by cryptically admitting “the past few weeks haven’t been easy for us”.
They then put on a united front on This Morning but just days later, Phil sensationally quit the programme.
He later admitted to an “unwise but not illegal” affair on 26 May, and his statement was soon followed by those from ITV and Holly, who both insisted they had no knowledge of the romantic relationship.
ITV insisted both Phil and the unnamed man denied the affair when quizzed and Holly also claimed Phil lied to her when she asked him if anything was going on.