Holly Willoughby's 'reaction' to Phillip Schofield's brutal takedown in new show

Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield's friendship has been left in tatters since he admitted to being unfaithful to his wife and she has been left 'picking up the pieces'.

The world of television has been filled with significant dramas recently. This week, Philip Schofield made a remarkable return to the small screen with his new three-part reality show Cast Away, following his departure from This Morning last May due to revelations about an affair with a young runner, effectively banishing him from the glamorous world of entertainment.

Schofield's appearance on Channel 5 saw him living in true Robinson Crusoe fashion, bearded and weather-worn, as he faced survival challenges on a deserted island near Madagascar for 10 days, seemingly attempting to repair his damaged reputation. However, it wasn't just about survival; during his solitary time, he couldn't help but throw some thinly-veiled jabs at figures in the TV industry, according to OK!

It seems reasonable to speculate that one of these targets was his former close colleague Holly Willoughby. Their once strong partnership on This Morning turned cold after Philip's notorious love scandal last year.

They had been inseparable co-hosts for over ten years. Yet, instead of publicly retaliating or causing a social media storm over Phil's sharp comments, Holly has chosen to remain commendably silent during his headline-grabbing comeback.

A source has revealed that Holly has always tried to handle the controversy surrounding her former colleague with utmost respect, despite being left to "respectful as possible - even though she was the one left to 'pick up the pieces and deal with the fallout". They confide, "She was very hurt and betrayed by him as she felt he had lied to her but she has never really slated him - so for him to make thinly-veiled attacks on his new show was a real low," reports the Mirror.

"She didn't deserve that and she thought that after all she has been through in the past 18 months, that he might be a bit more understanding. But it's clear he sort of blames her for his downfall and that he's still angry about it all - and Holly knew he wouldn't be able to keep quiet."

The insider continued: "She had been gearing up for what he was going to say and it's not nice but she feels she'll get the last laugh as the show hasn't exactly been well-received and he is getting criticism for playing the victim and trying to get sympathy."

Once close friends who shared holidays and were known for their post-award show appearances on This Morning, it seems they are no longer on speaking terms.

It's been 16 months since they were seen together publicly, following their last joint appearance on May 18, with rumours of a 'feud' and Holly's apparent disinterest in repairing the friendship.

During his grand return show, Phil seemed eager to air some personal grievances. Although she isn't explicitly named, Phil mentioned in the three-part series, "I miss parts of being on TV, certainly. I miss most of it, if I'm honest. I miss most of it. But there are bits that I really, really, really don't miss."

He made a pointed remark: "You learn a lot about people. I don't miss that. When you throw someone under a bus, you've got to have a really bloody good reason to do it."

Highlighting a moment that grabbed everyone's attention, Phil couldn't resist poking fun at Holly's on-air question after his departure: "If you're okay, then we're okay and I'm okay. Are you okay? " as he enjoyed a barbecue in his garden with wife Steph and their daughters Molly, 31, and Ruby, 28.

Phil dropped a dramatic hint that his departure from This Morning was not voluntary, but rather he was forced out, stating emphatically: "It's inconceivable that I would quit [any show that he is on]. I don't quit. I'm fired. But I never quit."

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While fishing, some fans speculated he might be referring to Holly again with the comment: "People just went who I thought were my friends and they just went. And that's like 'what the hell?'."

Phil's new venture, Cast Away, has left many wondering about its impact on his career trajectory. Meanwhile, Holly Willoughby's career is thriving since her departure from This Morning last October, after a chilling incident where security guard Gavin Plumb was jailed in July for at least 16 years for plotting to kidnap, assault, and murder her.

Holly has bounced back impressively, becoming ITV's golden girl with a lineup of major shows on the horizon. She's set to co-host 'You Bet!' with Stephen Mulhern, return for a new series of Dancing On Ice in January, and embark on the adventure reality competition Bear Hunt with Bear Grylls.

The latter, set to debut on Netflix, could launch Holly into global fame. An insider shared, "That show is set to make her a global star and Netflix have high hopes for it and are predicting it to be a success in both the UK and America as well as other countries."

"If it does, Holly will become a big international star, something Phil always dreamed of. By keeping quiet and letting Phil get slated for his new show, Holly feels it is the best kind of revenge, especially after what he has implied about her."

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