ITV This Morning presenters pay tribute to Phillip Schofield

Regular presenters Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary were seen on the This Morning sofa on Monday (22 May) as Holly Willoughby was also absent due to a semester break.

Willoughby will be back on June 5th but she will be without Schofield. Instead, she will “co-present with members of the This Morning family,” ITV said.

ITV announced that Schofield was leaving the show after 20 years.

This Morning paid tribute to Phillip Schofield on Monday (Image: ITV)

The 61-year-old’s departure comes amid reports of a dispute between Schofield and Willoughby and after his brother Timothy Schofield was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Friday for child molestation.

“This Morning” is a tribute to Phillip Schofield’s time on the show

Hammond and O’Leary kicked off the show Monday morning by delivering a message to Schofield reflecting on his time on the show.

Photos of the presenter appeared during the message.

The couple said “a huge thank you” and said the This Morning team wished him “all the best for the future”.

Alison Hammond said: “Now we cannot begin tonight’s show without paying tribute to the man who has sat on the This Morning sofa for the last two decades, Phillip Schofield.”

Dermot O’Leary added: “As a show, everyone on and off screen at ITV and This Morning Phil would like to say a huge thank you for what he’s done to make the show such a success over the past 21 years. ”

Alison Hammond added: “We all quite simply know that he is one of the best live television broadcasters this country has ever had and we and the entire team wish him well in the future.”

O’Leary then explained that Holly Willoughby will be absent during the semester but will return to the show on June 5.