Phillip Schofield brutally snubbed by Holly Willoughby as key detail in ITV DOI axe statement exposed
Dancing On Ice host Holly Willoughby brutally swerved any inclusion of her former friend and co-star Phillip Schofield when she issued a tribute to her time on the show, which was confirmed to have been axed on Wednesday.
Breaking her silence on Thursday, Willoughby shared a series of photos taken from moments on the celebrity skating show throughout the years, and has seemingly cropped out Schofield, who left his ITV roles in 2023 after embarking on an “unwise but not illegal” affair with a younger colleague.
Following Schofield’s admission and an emotional interview with the BBC, Schofield vanished from screens, leaving behind his ITV magazine show role as well as his Dancing On Ice presenting gig.
However, towards the end of last year he returned to social media and later featured in Channel 5’s Cast Away, where he reflected on the scandal and made several candid admissions.
Schofield, like Willoughby, hosted Dancing On Ice from its screen debut in 2006 until 2014, when the series was “rested”.
Upon its return in 2018, Schofield and Willoughby reprised their presenting roles, but after Schofield’s 2023 controversy, Willoughby fronted the show alongside comedian Stephen Mulhern.
It was confirmed by ITV bosses on Wednesday Dancing On Ice would not return in 2026, with Willoughby, 44, sharing a post about her time on the show on Thursday.
In the series of snaps she shared on Instagram, it’s clear Schofield, 62, had been cropped out of several of the older photos.
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The presenter also failed to mention her former long-term TV presenting partner in her lengthy statement.
Alongside the snaps, she wrote: “A huge thank you to @itv, The brilliant team, Crew, Celebrities and Everyone who has been part of our Dancing on Ice family over the last 19 years.
“Every year, just when January felt at its greyest, Dancing on Ice arrived like a burst of glittering, dazzling light, warm, joyful, and full of heart…
“It has been an absolute privilege to work alongside true national treasures Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, and to have a front-row seat to their breathtaking skating.
“Watching them glide across the ice was nothing less than pure magic…
“A special thanks must also go to Arnica, Deep Heat,Spanx and fake tan, unsung heroes of the rink!
“I will miss it hugely, but I count myself so lucky to have had it for as long as we did.
“Finally and most importantly, thank you to you for watching, you’re the BEST!”
Following reports of dwindling viewing figures, ITV confirmed this week the celebrity skating competition would be “rested”.
The news came after ratings fell to below three-million for the last series earlier this year.
The most recent final, won by Coronation Street star Sam Aston, managed to pull in just 2.7 million viewers.
This marks a staggering decline from the show’s heyday when an estimated 12 million viewers tuned in.