Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield have revealed that filming This Morning at the height of the pandemic felt like a therapeutic experience.
Speaking to Radio Times, the duo said they had “as much fear and anxiety as everybody else,” but that filming live from the studio throughout the entirety of the three lockdowns was a huge help mentally.
“At one point we had cameras put into our homes so we could broadcast from there if we couldn’t get into the studio,” Holly said.
“We watched the team drift away and suddenly it was just Holly and I getting ready in make-up,” added Phillip.
“And that was like a therapy session. But right from the start, we said we didn’t want to do hysteria broadcasting. Not doom and gloom, but honest and challenging.
(Image: Elisabeth Hoff/RadioTimes/Immediate Media)
The interview also touched on the time last year when Phillip came out as LGBTQ on the This Morning sofa. The 59-year-old presenter said that he felt the events of lockdown put his personal news in perspective.
“I think what’s important is that you realise that, in the space of a year, just how big other things can be – look what we’ve all gone through as a nation. There are much, much bigger things in the world than our own personal struggles,” he said.
It comes as Holly was delighted to film her appearance on ITV drama Midsomer Murders.
Posting a Boomerang video of herself on set to her Instagram account recently, the 40-year-old said: “Today is the day… @officialmidsomer … excitement levels off the chart!”
(Image: RadioTimes/Immediate Media)
She landed the cameo role after two stars from the show, Neil Dudgeon and Nick Hendrix, came on This Morning and surprised Holly by inviting her to star in an episode.
Live on the morning show, Neil said: “I have been speaking to people upstairs and they have been speaking to your people, but Holly please I am emboldened here to offer you a role in Midsomer Murders.”
A delighted Holly replied: “Yes! Of course, I say yes. I have seen every single episode since it started way back when. Are you serious?”
Read the full story in this week’s issue of Radio Times