‘There was a real hatred for them’ Phil and Holly were ‘heckled’ by mourners in queue | Celebrity News | Showbiz & TV
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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“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.
