Piers Morgan has joked about the new line-up for This Morning after Phillip Schofield’s exit.
Amid rumours of an irreparable ‘rift’ with Holly Willoughby, 42, Phillip, 61, announced his departure from the ITV mid-morning show on Saturday.
But his replacement has still not been announced by ITV, which confirmed the Wylde Moon founder will ‘co-present with members of the This Morning family’ after she returns from her break.
In the meantime, Piers, 58, who has previously defended Phil and said he ‘deserved a better send-off’ has put forward his own suggestion for the long-running programme.
On Twitter, the former GMB News anchor shared a picture of himself alongside Gemma Collins, clutching a glass of champers, and Charlotte Hawkins at the Chelsea Flower Show.
He jokingly captioned the picture: ‘The new This Morning presenting team!’
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Piers has previously defended Phillip and said he had ‘some sympathy’ for the veteran presenter.
He explained: ‘I have some sympathy with Phillip Schofield – whatever has gone on behind the scenes, I think he was entitled to a better send-off.’
peaking to Times Radio, he added: ‘Showbiz is a shallow pool of shark-infested waters – one day you’re cock of the walk and the next you’re a feather duster.’
However, despite defending Phillip, the former Britain’s Got Talent judge did express the controversial view that daytime TV is run by ‘a pack of savages’.
It has been reported that This Morning bosses ‘feared on-air sabotage by guests’ if Phillip stayed on the sofa.
The Mail Online claimed at least four household name stars had ‘plotted to ambush the scandal-plagued presenter live on air about a series of allegations about his behaviour, without the knowledge of show producers’.
An ITV source told the outlet: ‘The growing paranoia about what could go wrong was engulfing the management. They got through four days without any major disasters, even though it was obvious Holly and Phil’s friendship was over.
‘But if Holly had been put in the position of having to try and defend him from an attack on his reputation during the show by a regular or celebrity guest, it would have been an impossible position for her.
‘Everyone decided it would be irresponsible to put Phillip back on air, even for him to wish a final farewell to viewers. But that’s an extraordinary thing to do to a host after 20 years on air.’
Phil’s exit was briefly addressed by Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary on Monday’s This Morning, with the pair stating that he was ‘one of the best live television broadcasters this country has ever had’.
This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV.
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