A new favourite has emerged to replace Holly Willoughby on This Morning
Earlier this month Holly Willoughby announced she was following Philip Schofield out of the door and leaving her presenter role at This Morning.
At the time she said: “I have let ITV know today that, after 14 years, I will not be returning to This Morning… It’s been an honour to just be part of its story and I know this story has many chapters left to go. Sadly, however, I now feel I have to make this decision for me and my family. I will miss you all so much.”
It followed her longtime co-presenter Schofield’s exit following his revelation that he’d been having a workplace affair with a younger male colleague while married to his wife. Following the news about his affair Schofield said he had “lost everything.” After he had left Alison Hammond and O’Leary comment on This Morning’s short tribute to him before stepping into his shoes.
Prior to Schofield discussing his affair himself it was reported that a load of famous names had planned to ambush him about the allegations live on air. It followed that nothing illegal had taken place and that Schofield’s affair had been consensual.
According to Ladbrokes, Alison Hammond is favourite to take the full-time role. She already presents the show on Fridays with Dermot O’Leary but viewers think she may go one further and confirm the full-time job.
Hammond has odds of 11/10, but model Abbey Clancy is ahead of her, with 12/10 odds at the betting shop, meaning Clancy is currently the favourite to take the role.
A spokesperson for Ladbrokes said: “This market is attracting more and more attention as the weeks go on and in a latest twist, it is Abbey Clancy who is the name everyone is talking about.
“Overnight her odds have been slashed in half to replace Holly Willoughby on the This Morning sofa.”
Current fellow presenter Josie Gibson, Jeremy Vine Show presenter Storm Huntley, Davina McCall and Rochelle Humes are also in the running.
Is it believed producers like the idea of Clancy partnerning with her husband Peter Crouch to bring back some of the husband-wife dynamic made famous by original This Morning presenters Richard and Judy.
Abbey is a 37-year-old model and TV presenter who was runner-up on Britain’s Next Top Model in 2006 and won the 11th series of Strictly Come Dancing. Since 2015 she has also been presenter of Britain’s Next Top Model.
This Morning producers have yet to comment on the rumours about who the next host will be. City PM has approached show reps for comment.