Thousands sign petition calling for This Morning to axe Holly and Phil over 'queue jump' controversy

More than 20,000 people have signed a Change.org petition to axe This Morning hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield after the two were accused of jumping the queue to view Queen Elizabeth II's coffin.

Last week, Willoughby and Schofield faced backlash after footage of them led to claims that the two had skipped the queue and jumped into the press queue to view the Queen's coffin.

The queue, famously, stretched five miles long with a 14-hour wait period.

Other celebrities like David Beckham and Tilda Swinton waited in the queue with the public to pay their respects to the Queen.

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The response led to a petition to remove the two and their morning talk show.

"ITV should be ashamed of exploiting the situation. I'd like to see This Morning axed for good as I do believe it causes more harm than good, without people noticing," the petition creator, Laura Harrison wrote.

"For example, like turning cost of living anxiety into a game show. At the least though, these toxic presenters Holly and Philip should finally be removed from our TV screens. They monopolised way too long."

The backlash led ITV to release a statement clarifying neither Willoughby or Schofield skipped the queue as they were filming a segment for the show.

“This Morning had press accreditation and like other media, Phillip and Holly were escorted to work from the press gallery by government staff. They did not file past the Queen’s coffin," a spokesperson for ITV said.

“They were there alongside a host of other broadcasters and national press outlets for an item that will be broadcast on Tuesday’s show. Any allegations of improper behaviour are categorically untrue.”

Sure enough on Tuesday, the show kicked off their week airing the segment. In it, Willoughby and Schofield visited Westminster Hall and spoke with queuers.

In a voiceover, Willoughby explained that as members of the media they were given access to the press queue, “strictly for the purpose of reporting on the event for millions of people in the UK who haven’t been able to visit Westminster in person”.

Willoughby echoed the statement ITV said, adding that "none of the broadcasters and journalists there took anyone’s place in the queue and no one filed past the Queen."

Willoughby concluded, “please know that we would never jump a queue."

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