petition calling for Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby to be removed from their This Morning show in the wake of Friday’s “Queuegate” above 65,000 signatures.
The ITV presenters have been criticized after pictures appeared showing: they seemed to skip the line to see the queen lying in state.
The couple assured people they would “never queue” on Tuesday and said that as members of the media, they didn’t have to participate because they covered the event, but this hasn’t allayed criticism of the duo.
The original goal of the online petition was 15,000 names. Organizer Laura Harrison said if enough people sign “we can show ITV that the audience matters”.
In another development, it is claimed that the pair became “interested” as they walked past the public line to see Queen’s casket – which ITV has denied. Joe Tomkins, a 41-year-old who traveled from Nottingham to pay his respects, has now shared his story after seeing Willoughby and Schofield when they arrived.
Tomkins had traveled to London on Thursday evening, got in line at 1am on Friday and ended up waiting for 14 hours.
Holly Willoughby and Philip Scofield were accused of skipping the 12-hour queue to visit the late monarch
/ BBC“We were in the zigzag line at the very end of the row when we saw Phil and Holly. They all passed us and a few people started screaming.
“People said, ‘Oi, Phil, Holly, get back in line,'” he told The sun.
Add that “there was a real hatred for them”.
An ITV spokesperson told the Standard: “This account is untrue and does not represent a fair and accurate account of what happened that day.
“Phillip and Holly were guided by government officials to work from the media gallery. They did not pass the Queen’s coffin and stood there alongside many other broadcasters and national media in a professional capacity.”
They added: “On the contrary, Phillip and Holly stopped to meet many who greeted them and had selfies. There was no ill will towards them at all.”