This Morning ‘queue jumping’ controversy sees 55,000 sign petition to drop hosts

The petition starter has also responded to the ever-increasing figure.

The petition launched in the backlash against Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby has now gone over 55,000 signatures. With newspaper coverage and television commentary mostly falling on the side of those signing the petition.

Creator of the petition Laura Harrison has released a further statement following the figure reaching 50,000 late last evening.

“What’s interesting is that the biggest peak and sharpest increase in numbers came throughout Tuesday, and after their ‘journalism’ efforts were shown and after they made their second mistake.

“I didn’t watch it, but quickly learned through other means that there was no apology. I think some of their viewers would have genuinely hoped that the two hosts would be remorseful. Regardless of whether or not they were there in the professional capacity claimed, they could’ve admitted to making an error of judgement – either led by ITV, or as free-thinking individuals who should take responsibility for their actions.”

Laura adds,

“Their form of journalism, if we can call it that, is ugly if they still think that death, and grief, should be filmed for their tv show – especially when other channels were already live streaming. They added no reportage value to any of the proceedings. We learnt nothing new, and everything had well and truly been documented. Many people are brandishing it as a misrepresentation of the truth. Perhaps one they’ve convinced themselves of, but nonetheless, a lie.”

The initial annoyance over the pair of presenters seemingly ‘fast track’ into Westminster Hall ahead of people queuing up to 13 hours was further ignited by a lack of apology and ‘lame excuses’.

“Having just read a Mailonline piece by Dan Wootton on queue jumpers Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield it’s clear deception has taken place and their time at This Morning must end. They’ve had a good run and brought much pleasure but they’ve been caught out by a conceit: Too big to queue.” – journalist Kevin MackEnzie on social media.

Dan Wootton, who worked at ITV Daytime for a decade, before joining GB News last year, noted in his Daily Mail article: ‘Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby have taken us for fools. Despite their protests, we KNOW they jumped the great Elizabeth line and this PR car crash proves they really do think they’re better than us.’

He adds, ‘At ITV Daytime, where I worked for 10 years, they are untouchable; treated as the king and queen of the broadcaster for whom every whim is catered Mariah Carey-style by a massive team of ever obliging minions.

‘When offered the chance to view the Queen’s coffin, it wouldn’t have crossed their mind for even a moment that they should probably line up with the public, just like their colleague Susanna Reid or the far more famous David Beckham decided to do.’

And maybe there lays the problem, the ‘one ITV’, the ‘ITV Daytime Family’ is a far cry from the days when ITV was a regional mix of independent companies all putting out daytime programmes from across the UK, where This Morning from Granada in Manchester had no connection to The Time, The Place from Anglia in Norwich or TV Weekly from TVS in Southampton. The top execs were not pals with the on-screen talent and if a controversy occurred the programme or presenters were dropped with professionalism. Something that was exposed as clearly lacking at ITV Daytime with the Colleen Nolan V Kim Woodburn debacle five years ago.

It’s now a case that the queue jumping isn’t the main issue anymore, its the seeming ‘cover up’ to protect the pair that stings with viewers. It’s likely by the end of today it will surpass 60,000 names on the petition, way more than likely vote for the programme at the NTA’s!