Should Holly Willoughby step down from This Morning and are Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary the dream duo?

It was kind of bizarre (to say the least!) to watch Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary pay tribute to Phillip Schofield this morning. As one Twitter user wrote: “Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary’s tribute to Phillip Schofield as if he had died.” Another said: “What’s with the black clothes on @thismorning @radioleary and @AlisonHammond? Is this your nod to Phillip Schofield’s departure. Think you are overdoing the sad face Dermot.”

Alison Hammond herself said: ”We can’t start today’s show without paying tribute to the man who spent the last two decades sitting on This Morning sofa,” she said. 

Dermot then went on to say: “As a show, everyone on and off-screen at ITV and This Morning want to say a huge thank you to Phil for everything he has done over the last 21 years.”

When we asked our Twitter followers, who they would prefer as a presenting duo, the results showed that 38.3% want Alison/Dermot, 9.3% are keen on Holly/Alison, 14.2% like the idea of Holly/Rylan, and 38.3% want Alison/Rylan.

Although there is no indication at this stage that Holly is not returning to This Morning in two weeks time, it is interesting that in the PeopleWorld Twitter poll, she is not a popular choice herself. 

After Philip Schofield announced on Instagram at the weekend he will be stepping down This Morning with immediate effect, Holly responded by saying: “Hi everyone… It's been over 13 great years presenting This Morning with Phil and I want to take this opportunity to thank him for all of his knowledge, his experience and his humour. The sofa won’t feel the same without him.”

It will be interesting to see if Holly’s planned absence from This Morning until June 5 (she is taking an early half-term break for two weeks) proves fortuitous or not for the television presenter. According to the Daily Mail, “Phil’s fate on the flagship breakfast show was sealed on Friday when his co-star of 14 years Holly Willoughby is said to have handed the channel an ultimatum-either Phil would leave the sofa, or she would.”

Reports suggest that Holly is keen for Alison Hammond to join her as a permanent replacement for Phillip and Ladbrokes were giving her 2/1 odds to take over. Dermot O’Leary was given 4/1 odds whilst Rylan had 3/1 odds. 

After Phillip Schofield made his announcement about leaving This Morning with immediate effect at the weekend, the most likely duo muted to take over then was Holly Willoughby and Alison Hammond as Holly herself is reportedly very keen on Alison to join her on the sofa. In recent years, Alison’s popularity has grown, and she was promoted to present This Morning on a Friday with Dermot O’Leary. She also stepped in for Phillip when he had taken time off.

It will be interesting to see whether an announcement is made about the permanent replacement for Phillip Schofield in the coming days. If Alison Hammond is named as the person to take over from Phillip to join Holly on the sofa, judging by our PeopleWorld poll, this is not likely to please This Morning’s viewers. Watch this space….