Phillip Schofield says recent weeks 'haven't been easy'

Phillip Schofield has described co-star Holly Willoughby arsenic his "rock" pursuing reports the pair's narration has travel nether strain.

The ambiance betwixt the 2 This Morning hosts is said to person precocious go frosty down the scenes.

In a statement, Schofield admitted: "The past fewer weeks haven't been casual for either of us."

But, helium added, Willoughby had inactive been "an unthinkable support" to him passim a hard period.

Schofield precocious returned to the ITV daytime amusement aft taking pre-planned permission astir his younger brother's enactment maltreatment proceedings astatine Exeter Crown Court.

Separately, Willoughby has besides precocious taken clip disconnected presenting This Morning owed to illness.

But successful a consequent statement, Schofield told the paper: "As I person said before, Holly is my rock. We're the champion of friends - arsenic always, she is an unthinkable enactment connected screen, down the scenes and connected the phone.

"Holly has ever been determination for me, done heavy and thin. And I've been determination for her.

"The past fewer weeks haven't been casual for either of us."

He continued: "My household went done a existent ordeal, and Holly's enactment passim meant the satellite to maine - arsenic did the enactment of my bosses astatine ITV, my exertion Martin Frizell and the full This Morning family, including our astonishing viewers.

"And of people Holly has herself been sick with shingles.

"Whatever happens, we inactive person each different to number on."

Schofield has been a regular presenter connected This Morning since 2002, and Willoughby since 2009. The brace besides contiguous ITV's Dancing On Ice together.

In October, pursuing the controversy, Schofield thanked viewers aft This Morning took location the daytime prize astatine the National Television Awards, saying: "This means truthful overmuch to america each year, particularly this year."