The petition asks angry viewers to support that ITV ‘Axe Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby from TV’.
Launched by Laura Harrison following a social media backlash against the hosts of daytime froth magazine show This Morning, she noted on Friday:
“Thousands of people are lining up overnight to pay respects to the Queen, where they will likely wait up to 24 hours. Yet Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield, two hosts of one of the most damaging to mental health day time tv show This Morning, were able to push past those thousands and get immediate access. ITV should be ashamed of exploiting the situation. I’d like to see This Morning axed for good as I do believe it causes more harm than good, without people noticing. For example, like turning cost of living anxiety into a game show. At the least though, these toxic presenters Holly and Philip should finally be removed from our TV screens. They monopolised way too long.
“If you agree please sign. If enough people sign we can show ITV that the public do matter. And these two idiots don’t deserve our time. “
The petition has now almost reached 20,000 signatures and is climbing in the 100s each hour. Digs from well-known personalities have also sent joy through social media with Huw Edwards, Eammon Holmes and Fern Britton all throwing shade at Schofield and Willoughby for their lack of thought to the many members of the public – and other celebs including David Beckham – who queued up to 15 hours to have a few seconds to pay respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II as she lay in state at Westminster Hall.
Video footage and photographs show the ‘ITV darlings of daytime’ walking past a long line of people to gain entry to the hall with one noting she’d been moved aside for them without even a thank you.