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Sinead Butler
Sep 17, 2022
This Morning's Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield pay their respects to the ...
BBC
Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield have received criticism on social media, accused of "skipping the queue" to see the Queen lying-in-state.
The This Morningpresenters were seen in London's Westminster Hall on Friday (September 16) where they filmed a segment for the daytime show set to air on Tuesday.
Both Willoughby and Schofield were dressed in black as the pair paid their respects to the Queen who passed away on September 8 and whose funeral will take place on September 19.
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Since the TV duo were filming for the program, they didn't have to queue for hours like members of the public and instead joined a separate queue specifically for the press.
An ITV source told indy100 that the pair had press accreditation and were there alongside a host of other broadcasters and national press outlets for an item that will be broadcast on Tuesday's show.
They added that all press would have been taken to a press gallery and were not able to pay respects in the same way that the queueing public would have, therefore not jumping that queue.
"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," an ITV spokesperson told indy100.
"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."
Though there were a series of tweets slamming the presenters and accusing them of "jumping the queue" while the public faced a lengthy wait of up to 24 hours at one point to see the Queen's coffin.
\u201cWhile elderly and disabled people queued for 12 hours. Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield jumped the queue #ThisMorning #queuejumping #QueueWatch\u201d— Ghost Enigma (@Ghost Enigma) 1663400352
\u201cHello Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby. I\u2019ve got an idea I\u2019d like to float past you\u2026 @Schofe @hollywills \n\n#QueueWatch #MournHub #CoffinWatch #ThisMorning\u201d— Spartan Roy (@Spartan Roy) 1663371641
\u201cPhilip Schofield skips the queue to see The Queen\u2019s coffin!\nWhy does Holly Willoughby have a face mask on? Because she\u2019s ashamed she\u2019s a queue jumper?\nDisgraceful. \n@thismorning @hollywills @RuthieeL @EamonnHolmes\u201d— Annie Christian (@Annie Christian) 1663333793
\u201cAn image to shame Schofield, Willoughby and anyone else who think they are greater than the rest of us.\u201d— Duncan Wright (@Duncan Wright) 1663337301
\u201c@hollywills Sorry Holly but I have lost all respect for you and Phillip Schofield. When I see people in the 80s queueing 12-14 hours and you think it\u2019s acceptable and right to jump the queue. Appalling. Are you going to apologise?\u201d— Holly Willoughby (@Holly Willoughby) 1662904777
Meanwhile, people have praised celebrities such as David Beckham who queued for over 12 hours after joining the back of the line at 2am.
The ex-footballer said he got through the night with snacks such as "Pringles, sherbet lemons, sandwiches, coffee and doughnuts," and The Daily Mail reported he declined an offer to jump the queue.
Good Morning Britain presenter Susanna Reid also queued for more than seven hours with the general public.
\u201cDavid Beckham joined the queue with members of the public for 12 hours. I have far more respect for him for doing that than I do for those who used the fast-track VIP line, like Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield. \n\nQueue jumping is the worst British insult.\u201d— Chris Rose (@Chris Rose) 1663344496
\u201cHolly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield have jumped the queue, to view the coffin. Other people, like Susanna Reid and David Beckham have joined the back of the queue. This tell you everything you need to know about the \u2018poverty game show\u2019 duet. #queueforthequeue #ThisMorning\u201d— Sarah \ud83c\udf39#GTTO (@Sarah \ud83c\udf39#GTTO) 1663334510
\u201cMassive respect to David Beckham & Susanna Reid who has queued for many hours like most other people and pay their respects to the Queen. Not surprised that Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby got a press pass to allow them to jump the queue. Disgraceful. Bad decision by them.\u201d— Iain Makepeace (@Iain Makepeace) 1663341543
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