Holly Willoughby tuned into This Morning every day when she was on maternity leave because it felt like she had a “friend” in her room when she was “struggling.”
The 37-year-old presenter has admitted she struggled at times after giving birth to her children, Harry, nine, Belle, seven, and Chester, four, whom she has with her husband Dan Baldwin.
She’s said she found herself looking forward to the daily brunch time show when she had been up all night with her babies.
Read more: This Morning’s 30th birthday episode opens with special sketch
The star – who joined the programme as a host in 2009 – said on Wednesday’s This Morning: “It was my first job that I came back to having had my first baby, Harry. And then I was pregnant with Belle. I mean it felt like I was pregnant a lot.
“I’ve been all shapes and sizes on this show but the thing about having that moment was being on maternity leave and watching the show as a viewer again and remembering and understanding how important this show is.
“I remember just texting Phil [Schofield] on maternity all the time saying: ‘Today’s show was amazing!’ I’m here at home, I haven’t slept, I’m trying to feed my kids, I’m really struggling and it felt like there was a friend always in the corner of my room.”
“It was just a reminder of what this show does and how important it is”, she added. “It’s lovely to watch it as a viewer in my dressing gown.”
Today marks the programme’s 30th birthday and Phillip has admitted he eyed up the show when he first watched Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan launch it.
He explained: “I thought: ‘This is like Saturday telly but for adults.’ And it’s one of those things where you think I would absolutely love to have a go at that and then years later I was a guest a few times and then you end up presenting it.
“And I think we will all agree that there’s been so many presenters – you have your time – you’re a custodian. It’s like being the captain of the Titanic and then there will be someone else. Maybe the Queen Mary but there have been times where it’s felt like the Titanic.”
This Morning opened with a special 30th birthday sketch that featured a cameo from Prime Minister Theresa May!
The pre-recorded sketch showed Phillip stuck in a taxi in traffic en route to the studio.
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He phoned Holly to ask for help, starting a chain reaction of celebrities including Keith Lemon, Jodie Whittaker, Dermot O’Leary, Mary Nightingale and, finally, none other than Theresa May herself!
Theresa phoned Phil directly to say she’d help him get to the studio in time for This Morning’s 30th anniversary!
“It’s This Morning’s 30th birthday, you absolutely have to be there… I know just the people who can help you,” said Theresa.
She directed him to a sign for the Red Devils, who whisked Phillip into the skies in a plane, before he sky dived over London to land smack bang in the middle of the This Morning studio grounds.
Waiting for him was Holly, who simply said: “What time do you call this?”
We knew you'd make it in the end @Schofe – but we never guessed you'd arrive in such style!
Happy birthday This Morning! ✈️ @hollywills #ThisMorning30 pic.twitter.com/wdXV9U6qGn
— This Morning (@thismorning) October 3, 2018
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