Holly Willoughby questions Olivia Attwood's casting on 'This Morning'

Holly Willoughby has expressed doubts over Olivia Attwood's This Morning debut.

A source shared to Closer that Holly, 44, has been 'baffled' by the move, explaining, 'she's surprised by the choice. It's not personal, but she does feel quite judgmental about the new direction of the brand that she helped build for over a decade. 

'It's hard for her as she worked for years to establish herself as a credible broadcaster, and seeing a younger woman like Olivia walk into such a prime slot so quickly feels like a 'slap in the face.' 

Olivia, 34, recently confirmed the exciting development, revealing that she will be stepping into host ITV's iconic daytime program for several episodes this summer.

During a recent appearance on This Morning alongside Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard, she announced, 'I'm going to be doing a couple of shows in the summer. I'm very excited to be joining you guys, it's a huge honour.' 

The Love Island star shared her feelings for the opportunity, saying, 'I've grown up watching This Morning, and being part of the daytime team on Loose Women has been the best experience and this just feels like a very natural progression.' 

For the unversed, Holly joined the show in 2009 and stepped down from the show in 2023 after former co-host Phillip Schofield's involvement with his young colleague. 

Over the years, Holly became known as ITV 'golden girl.' She gained a lot of fame for her on-screen chemistry with Phil and her warm, relatable presence.