Heart wrenching tale of Holly Willoughby's shock exit from 'This Morning'

Holly Willoughby's shock exit from This Morning has left tears, frustration and uncertainty behind on sets of the show.

Insiders at the programme have broken their silence on the mum-of-three's decision to quit her 14-year-old job within 20 minutes.

The show's editor, Martin Frizell, is reported to have only discovered Holly stepping down 20 minutes before the public found out it with Willoughby's statement on her official Instagram account on Tuesday (October 10).

Frizell was said to be "stunned" after being called by ITV chiefs just 20 minutes before the 42-year-old announced her shock resignation to the world. 

"It has been one thing after another. It's like a soap opera and that's OK if you're one of the highly-paid stars getting chauffeured to work and back, but if you're grafting behind the scenes to keep things afloat, it's incredibly frustrating," a source told the Mail.

"Holly decides to leave, she puts it on Instagram. Imagine how that makes you feel. There were tears." 

The insider went on telling the newspaper: "The team has been through so much in the last year. Many feel they are at the end of their tethers. It has been heartbreaking, and hard, to watch it all happen."

Willoughby's last appearance on the show came a week before her exit for This Morning, that has faced a turbulent period, including the backlash following her and her ex-co-host Phillip Schofield's visit to the Queen’s coffin, and Schofield's scandal itself, which erupted in early June after weeks of reported tension between the pair.

Willoughby, in her exit statement, which was supported by co-stars Clodagh McKenna, Rochelle Humes, Dermot O'Leary, Josie Gibson, Craig Doyle, Dr Scott, Dr Zoe Williams and Alison Hammond, the TV presenter wrote: "I have let ITV know today that after 14 years, I will not be returning to This Morning."

"To everyone who has ever worked on the show over the years, thank you so so much. This is such a difficult goodbye, you are incredible and I forever will be proud of what we've done together. I will not be returning to This Morning. I now feel I have to make this decision for me and my family. I will miss you all so much. Holly."

Martin Frizell was left blindsided by his star presenter's shock announcement - which caused some of the staff on the ITV show to breakdown in tears.

Holly turned to ITV's head of daytime output Emma Gormley, over both the alleged plot by Essex security guard Gavin Plumb to kidnap and murder her, as well as her future on the show.