ITV bosses scramble to save This Morning after Holly Willoughby's exit

ITV bosses have been scrambling in a bid to manage the aftermath that came with its presenter Holly Willoughby's exit from This Morning.

The departure served as a shock to the show’s executives as they were planning on who Willoughby would be presenting alongside after Phillip Schofield parted ways following a secret workplace relationship.

According to sources, executives were in the works of rebuilding the show's reputation after Schofield's scandal brought it to the ground with hopes for it to return to its former glory with Willoughby by their side. 

However, with her exit, show runners have been forced to start 'from square one' as they were not prepared to take the news.  

"Until the start of the week, the decision was who would partner Holly and build the show’s reputation back up. They’re back to square one," said one source as per Irish Mirror.

Another source added that her departure was not desirable but it gave room for a new era. 

"No one would have wished for Holly to leave but now the door is open for a completely fresh start."

For the unversed, Willoughby announced that she was no longer returning to This Morning in a lengthy post on Instagram which came a week after she was named in a kidnap and murder plot.