ITV bosses have been accused of "sabotage" by booking guests for their program 'This Morning' who had already filmed segments for Holly Willoughby's new YouTube lifestyle show, 'Together'. Sources suggest this was a deliberate move to preempt Willoughby's content after her departure from the network.
Willoughby, who hosted 'This Morning' for 14 years, launched her YouTube channel 'Together' with segments focusing on food, fashion, life, and beauty, mirroring themes previously explored on the ITV program. According to The Mail on Sunday, ITV executives were reportedly "green with envy" over the new venture. The alleged poaching of guests occurred after their appearances on Willoughby's show were announced in a press release.
Among the guests reportedly targeted was Ellen Roome, whose son died after an alleged online challenge. Roome appeared on 'This Morning' with hosts Dermot O'Leary and Alison Hammond on Thursday, just five days before her pre-recorded episode with Willoughby was scheduled for release on YouTube. Similarly, food bloggers Original Flava, who had filmed with Willoughby, appeared on 'This Morning' on Wednesday, prior to their 'Together' episode release.
"There is no way that this is a coincidence," a source familiar with the bookings stated. "As soon as they saw the press release, they've booked guests to get them on before Holly's viewers get to see them. You hate to think it, but it feels a bit like sabotage. Holly's team put out a press release in good faith to share what was coming up, in between then and the episodes going live This Morning have swept in and grabbed her guests. ITV must be very jealous indeed."
Willoughby left 'This Morning' in October 2023, five months after her former co-host Phillip Schofield's departure. Her exit followed police foiling a plot to kidnap, rape, and murder her, an event that left her fearing for her safety for several months. She returned to ITV in 2024 for 'Dancing On Ice' but reportedly turned down a hosting role for a reboot of the game show 'You Bet!'
'This Morning' is now primarily hosted by Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard. The program's viewership has significantly declined since Willoughby and Schofield's tenure, reportedly falling from an average of 3 million viewers to struggling to attract 500,000 per episode. O'Leary and Alison Hammond host the show on Fridays.
Despite initial criticism of the first episode of 'Together,' which featured actor Stanley Tucci, Willoughby is reportedly pleased with her channel's early performance. Including a teaser, the 'Together' YouTube channel has garnered 141,000 views. A friend of Willoughby's stated, "Holly is very, very happy. The numbers tell the truth, and she is thrilled that there have been so many views. She was nervous and she knows she's not everyone's cup of tea."
Willoughby's YouTube channel has reportedly outperformed viewing figures for recent content from ITV personalities Ant and Dec, and Davina McCall. The first episode of 'Together' achieved 59,000 views within four days, while an Ant and Dec episode released a day earlier had 19,000 views. Davina McCall's YouTube show, featuring an interview with physicist Brian Cox, had garnered 31,000 views by Thursday.