Holly Willoughby’s Graceful Silence Amid Phillip Schofield’s Alleged ‘Witch’ Jab Sparks Speculation
Holly Willoughby has maintained a poised silence following reports that former co-host Phillip Schofield has allegedly taken to calling her “the witch.” Rumors emerged that Schofield, 64, who left This Morning after admitting to an “unwise but not illegal” affair with a younger colleague, had given his ex-colleague the nickname. Despite the tension, Willoughby, 43, has shown little response to the reported jab.
On Halloween, Willoughby subtly referenced the alleged nickname, posting a 1990s photo of Kate Moss dressed as a witch on her Instagram, adding Lana Del Rey’s Season of the Witch as a soundtrack with the simple caption, “Happy Halloween.” In a more light-hearted post the same day, she shared a meme of Carlton Banks (Alfonso Ribeiro) from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air dancing amidst Christmas decorations, with the caption, “Me as soon as the last trick or treater leaves,” adding humorously, “Also me…”, told Metro.co.uk.
Sources close to Willoughby reveal she is staying unaffected by Schofield’s rumored bitterness. A source shared with The Sun, “Holly isn’t batting an eyelid at this, it’s like she couldn’t care less. Phil is coming across as incredibly bitter. Holly knows who her friends are and they’re the people she pays attention to.”
The rift between Willoughby and Schofield reportedly deepened after Schofield allegedly messaged her on WhatsApp, expressing disappointment over her lack of public support during the fallout. The message reportedly accused Willoughby of “bringing him down” and suggested her lack of endorsement during the scandal led to his job loss. Schofield, who referred to her as his “TV sister,” reportedly felt her public support might have safeguarded his career and preserved their chemistry, once crucial to This Morning’s appeal. A friend confided to The Mirror, “He feels it was a simple gesture that might have saved his job, and her refusal to do so effectively finished him off.”
Schofield recently made a brief television return after a 16-month hiatus with three episodes of Cast Away on Channel 5, where he was stranded on a deserted island near Madagascar. During a family dinner on the show, he echoed Willoughby’s iconic catchphrase, “Are you ok?”, which went viral during her This Morning days. However, his comeback was far from triumphant, with the show losing a third of its viewership by the final episode.
Willoughby has remained dignified throughout, neither addressing Schofield’s alleged comments nor his recent appearance, showing her commitment to staying focused on her own career and letting the situation play out without adding fuel to the fire.