This Morning

I think ITN could of provided something, it was common knowledge about this commons statement.
I guess for ITV viewers, keeping Holly & Phil on might keep more viewers on board.

Richard and Judy are back as guests on Thursday. But it’s unclear who will be filling in for Eamonn and Ruth on Friday this week. I’m assuming it won’t be them if they’re on as guests the day before.

It’s been a year since they first filled in on the October half term Friday last year.

It's Dermot and Alison on Friday.

Phillip's book gives an insight into what happened between him and Fern. Or at least his side of the story. He confirms there was bad feeling, although he is adamant he doesn't know exactly what brought it on. It wasn't money because Fern apparently refused a similar same golden handcuffs deal with ITV, preferring to have more flexibility to work elsewhere. He describes how the mood in the dressing room changed from the gastric band revelation onwards, resulting in a backstage argument with Fern accusing him of meddling too much in the production of the show. I think that matches up with the atmosphere changing on screen too. He claims that he has tried time and time again to reach out and put things right, but to no avail, and that when he came out she didn't text him, but she did text Steph.

He also tells a baffling tale of how, after having covered John Leslie every day for weeks during his scandal, when it came to offering Phillip the job full time, the head of daytime insisted on him auditioning first! He refused, therefore quit, and ITV had to back-peddle pretty sharpish.

The book itself is a good read and, as you might expect, lots of backstage telly talk, including the various disasters which unfolded on Talking Telephone Numbers. (I say good 'read', but I got it on Audible).

I'm pleased to hear this, because I'm very much looking forward to reading this. I know it's been a big year for him, but I would be delighted if 99% of the book was entirely Broom Cupboard and Going Live stories.

Phil was on Fearne Cotton’s podcast Happy Place and he mentioned that when he told everyone he was gay, they were received because they thought he was dying, his mother thought he was going to tell her he was going blind!


Dermot seems to be the go to choice for Friday cover at the moment.

It’s interesting that what he states in the book pretty much confirms that the media speculation was largely right, though I don’t think just one thing was to blame.

I think it was a culmination of different factors which brought along Fern’s departure.
To her declining the ITV handcuff deal which meant that bosses in the end favoured Phillip for all future projects, when she just wanted the freedom to have the option to do other work without being undermined by ITV.
Then the Gastric Band saga which occurred at the same time which would have brought down her self esteem.
Then to Philip who she may have seen as taking over the show with the privilege of having the handcuffs deal. Philip does state a particular incident in the book with Fern snapping and disapproving of him questioning the producers over timings.

To blame it all on money is nonsensical just as much as blaming it all on Phillip. I think she just had enough in the end and eliminated the people that pretty much forced her hand to go in this direction, including Philip. She more than likely felt hurt from this treatment and felt betrayed, given how she went out and ended her maternity leave early when the show was in crisis in 2001/2002.

It probably caused her outburst on the 30th birthday when she voiced her frustration at not being invited to the BAFTA party.

But in reality no one really knows. It’s a shame - especially when Phillip has tried to reach out to talk but Fern has so far been unwilling. He does note in the book that Fern did send him a copy of her autobiography with a handwritten message, which shows there’s still fond memories there - but time has moved on. It would be equally interesting to know what Phillip wrote in the book that he would have given to Fern.

As stated above yes, Fern effectively saved the show in 2001/2.

And in a slightly lesser sense so did Phil after the John Leslie stuff.

The tabloids do write a lot of guff, particularly in their reporting of TV. But I agree- like with all the stories about Charles and Di rowing, years before they split- they were largely accurate!

Although worth noting Fern's book came out in November 2008 and she didn't announce she was leaving the show until March 2009.

Earlier this year Fern said "It was all gastric band-gate. It ruffled a few feathers. I think perhaps I became a bit of a liability to ITV. I really don't know. But I know that the day I decided to leave – and I'm not going to get into this now – something happened that morning and I thought, "I'm done" and ITV went, "Thanks very much, goodbye."

That matches up with the incident Phillip describes in the book. Perhaps it was just Fern's way of dealing with it. Or maybe she guessed Phillip agreed with ITV that she had become a liability after the gastric-band thing and was conspiring against her.

On another note, I always found this exchange very bizarre:



It perhaps gives an insight to the way in which Fern does things.

Perhaps ITV wanted a reason to get rid of Fern on This Morning and her quitting was better for them than not renewing her contract down the line.

I wouldn't be surprised if that aspect has gotten worse over time, it's noticeable that Amanda Holden has only appeared on This Morning when Eamonn and Ruth are on in recent times which makes me wonder if the story that he vetoed her being Holly's replacement over Rochelle Humes.

Oh I can well believe that. In fact in the book he says ITV wanted someone else (thought to be Emma Forbes) to replace Fern as they felt Holly lacked gravitas, and he basically said he would leave if Holly didn't get the job.

But I don't see why that, or the Amanda Holden situation is such a big deal. Why wouldn't his opinions of co-hosts be taken into account? It's pretty crucial I'd say.

I'm surprised ITV didn't want Holly, she wasn't exactly a novice by the time she took over from Fern and she'd done three years on Dancing on Ice not to mention a guest stint on This Morning.

The Amanda Holden situation is a bit different because she covered Holly for almost a year so it does seem odd that Phil was happy to work for her before but then decide he wanted a different co-host a few years later but unless Amanda decides to release her autobiography, we'll never know the whole story.