PHILLIP Schofield’s daughters have followed their dads lead in unfollowing Holly Willoughby on social media.
This week, seemingly cementing the end of their once impenetrable friendship, the social media distancing happened ahead of Holly’s first National Television Awards without her former trusted sidekick.
Phillip Schofield’s daughters have copied their dad in unfollowing Holly Willoughby on social media | Credit: PA
Phillip unfollowed Holly before she attended the NTAs this week | Credit: Splash
And now, as well as Phillip unfollowing Holly, so have his two daughters, Molly and Ruby Schofield.
The girls have known Holly for years amid her close working relationship and friendship with their TV star dad Phillip.
They’d even enjoyed holidays at their neighbouring villas on Portugal’s Algarve.
A source told DailyMail: “Both Molly and Ruby have seen their father go through hell, they have been at his side as he has lost everything.
“Meanwhile, by following Holly on Instagram they see her carrying on with her life.
“The whole scandal has taken its toll on them, their support for him has been unwavering and this is the final nail. They are staunchly loyal to their dad, despite everything that has gone on.”
Despite the family unfollowing Holly on social media, she still follows her former co-host Phillip on the app.
Holly and Phillip’s working relationship came to a shock end in May when the latter admitted to lying to her and show bosses about a six-month affair with a much younger male colleague.
It was recently confirmed that Holly has been complying with an independent investigation into the scandal.
A representative for Holly said she is doing everything asked of her by Jane Mulcahy KC.
ITV’s managing director Kevin Lygo said of the investigation at the Edinburgh TV Festival: “She [Mulcahy] has been talking to everybody involved, they take your phone and look at every single text you’ve ever sent, email, WhatsApp.
“So, everything is available, lots of interviews, talking to everybody and I hope as soon as possible, but probably in September, she will make that public.”
In his first interview after the scandal came to light, Philip exclusively told us how he had not had any contact with Holly since the news broke.
He told us: “I’ve lost my best friend. I let her down (Holly). I let that entire show down. I let the viewers down.
“Holly did not know (about the romance). And she was one of the first texts that I sent, to say, ‘I am so, so sorry that I lied to you’.
“She didn’t reply and I understand why she didn’t reply, as well. So yeah. If anyone is in any way linking Holly to this; that is absolutely, wholly untrue.
“I had no feud with Holly. She is my TV sister. But quite rightly, when I am in the middle of a s**t show with bad press over something where I have done nothing wrong — in fact, I did everything right — it’s a witch hunt. And that strips that (friendship) away.
“Quite rightly, she is going to take a step back and think, ‘I have to step back from this’, and I understand that completely.
“As we see now, this is a vicious game and the last thing you want is for something to stick on you.
“It was becoming bigger than the people we had on the show. I understand that.”
