Holly Willoughby laughing with Phil on This Morning
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This Morning: Holly Willoughby and co-host Phil defy phobia guest’s pleas during sensitive interview

She asked them not to laugh

This Morning hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield today (March 3) defied a guest who specifically asked them not to laugh at her phobia.

Nik and Eva Speakman were on the show today to help viewers with their phobias.

The couple ended up speaking to just one caller, a woman named Ingrid, who said she was afraid of hedgehogs.

Holly Willoughby laughing with Phil on This Morning
This Morning hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield were asked not to laugh by the caller (Credit: ITV)

What did the caller tell This Morning hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield?

Ingrid explained: “I’m really scared of hedgehogs, absolutely petrified.”

She then added: “Please don’t laugh.”

Holly and Phil both assured Ingrid they wouldn’t laugh.

Phil said: “We never do, we never do.”

Read more: Eva Speakman feared she would ‘die’ after abusive ex landed her in hospital

Ingrid then explained how she felt about hedgehogs.

“It’s been since the year dot, it’s horrible, it ruins my life. I know people laugh but I can’t go out in the summertime because I have to be home by 6.30pm as I know they come out at night.

“I can’t sit in the garden with friends and have drinks because I’m petrified. If I see a dead one on the road I’m in fear and shaking.

“If I see hedgehog poo I won’t go back in that space because I know it’s there.”

The Speakmans on This Morning
Nik and Eva Speakman were on to chat about viewer phobias (Credit: ITV)

What advice did the Speakmans have?

The Speakmans said they could help Ingrid to get over it and asked when it started.

She said that she was watching TV when she wasn’t supposed to as a child and saw part of Not The 9 O’Clock News where they were eating a hedgehog sandwich.

Read more: Holly Willoughby left red-faced as Martin Lewis corrects her blunder live on air

“Looking at it now, do you really think it was a hedgehog sandwich?” Nik asked.

“Well no,” she said, “but they used a real hedgehog for that sketch, I’m sure of it.”

The camera then panned to Holly and Phil.

Holly was seen laughing – despite saying that she wouldn’t – and Phil looked pretty bemused.

Dismissing Ingrid’s claims that a real hedgehog was used in the sketch, he laughed and shook his head as he declared: “No, no, no.”

How did viewers react?

This Morning viewers pulled Holly and Phil up on the comment that they never laugh at guests and pointed to a woman on the show recently with a custard phobia.

You never laugh???? What about custard woman??” asked one.

“Phil and Holly desperately trying not to laugh. Hence out of shot,” another commented.

Bloody hedgehogs! All over the bloody place. Can’t move for them!” joked a third.

Another commended Phil and Holly for keeping a straight face for most of the segment.

They said: “Phil’s concerned face [crying with laughter emoji].”

The viewer added: “How did they keep a straight face?”

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Nancy Brown
Associate Editor