'There was a real hatred for them' Phil and Holly were 'heckled' by mourners in queue

Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby sparked backlash when they were seen being led to another area, away from the regular queue, to see the Queen's coffin last week.

By Samantha Masters, Content Editor

This Morning: Holly Willoughby addresses queue jumping claims

Now, a mourner who waited in the queue for up to 14 hours, has said people were shouting at the This Morning duo. Joe from Nottingham said Phillip Schofield, 60, and Holly Willoughby, 41, "walked straight past us all" which sparked anger. "A few people started shouting," he told The Sun.

“People were saying, ‘Oi, Phil, Holly, get to the back of the queue!’."

According to the builder, Phillip smiled in response to the comments.

He added: “It angered a lot of people.

"People were saying, ‘How can they do this?’ There was a real hatred for them, it wasn’t right.”

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Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby were accused of skipping the queue at Westminster

Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby were accused of skipping the queue at Westminster Hall (Image: SKYNEWS/TIKTOK/DANNIICOOPER)

Thousands of mourners queued for hours to see the Queen's coffin at Westminster Hall

Thousands of mourners queued for hours to see the Queen's coffin at Westminster Hall (Image: GETTY)

The mourner said he had queued with others for up to 14 hours in cold temperatures to pay their respects for the late monarch.

He added those in the queue were "tired and frustrated" while others were crying.

The presenting duo were slammed after footage of them appearing to skip the queue emerged online.

Such backlash led to a petition calling for the presenters to be sacked from This Morning.

Phillip and Holly were escorted into a different area to film for This Morning

Phillip and Holly were escorted into a different area to film for This Morning (Image: TIKTOK/DANNIICOOPER)

Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby denied they jumped the queue

Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby denied they jumped the queue (Image: ITV)

After they began trending on social media, the show stepped in to defend the pair.

A spokesperson denied they skipped the queue and were escorted into a different area for work purposes.

In a segment reflecting on the Queen's funeral on Tuesday's episode, Holly went into further detail.

She said: "Like hundreds of accredited broadcasters and journalists, we were given official permission to access the hall.

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"It was strictly for the purpose of reporting on the event for millions of people in the UK, who haven't been able to visit Westminster in person.

"The rules were that we would be quickly escorted around the edges to a platform at the back, in contrast, those paying respects walked along a carpeted area beside the coffin and were given time to pause."

Holly continued: "We, of course, respected those rules, however, we realise it may have looked like something else and therefore totally understand the reaction. Please know, we would never jump a queue."

Others have defended the pair online including Piers Morgan.

He said the situation was a "ridiculously over-the-top campaign".

On his Uncensored show, Piers added: "20,000 people have signed a petition to have them fired. Of course they shouldn't be fired, it's ridiculous.

"It may have been a misjudgment. I said myself on this show, I don't think anyone should have been jumping the queue full stop, whoever you are, unless you are a world leader and there is a time issue."

He went on to say Holly would be "distraught" by the negative reaction.

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