“I think that will be a really big mistake.”
We can’t really picture This Morning without classic double act Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield – but it almost never happened.
Holly has revealed that she was advised against taking a job hosting the flagship daytime TV show by none other than Simon Cowell.
She was hosting Xtra Factor at the time, as well as presenting alongside Phil on Dancing On Ice.
When Fern Britton left This Morning in 2009, Holly was offered the gig.
Speaking on This Morning – 30 Unforgettable Years, Phil revealed that he only wanted to work with Holly.
I said, ‘I’m not doing it with anyone else’, it has to be you or I’m not doing it anymore,’.”
Holly said that she had Phil to thank for landing the job.
“If it wasn’t for you, there’s no doubt I wouldn’t be doing this.
“I was doing Xtra Factor and I remember it got to the point where I had to let Simon know that I was coming to do This Morning. And he said, ‘I think that will be a really big mistake’.”
Luckily, Holly disregarded Simon’s advice and took the job.
She’s now estimated to be worth £10 million and has brand deals with the likes of Diet Coke, Oral B and Marks and Spencer.
Her next hosting job will come later this year – she’s set to join Dec Donnelly in place of Ant McPartlin on this year’s series of I’m A Celebrity.
