Yes, Holly Willoughby's 'Firstly, Are You OK?' Is Already A Meme

This Morning presenter's address to the nation goes viral.
Holly Willoughby said she felt “shaken, troubled, let down and worried”.
Holly Willoughby said she felt “shaken, troubled, let down and worried”.
ITV

Holly Willoughby’s emotional return to This Morning has been crowned by the ultimate accolade – by becoming a meme.

The presenter said she felt “shaken, troubled, let down and worried” about the events that led to Phillip Schofield’s departure from the flagship ITV programme.

But it was the opening words of her address to the nation that caught the attention of many.

Seated next to her temporary co-host Josie Gibson, Willoughby said: “Right, deep breath. Firstly, are you OK? I hope so.”

A message to you, from Holly. pic.twitter.com/TwiqxbSwSn

— This Morning (@thismorning) June 5, 2023

The opening gambit confused many, as comedian and writer David Baddiel noted on Twitter.

He wrote: “When Holly Willoughby said ‘Firstly, are you OK?’ I genuinely thought she was talking to someone behind camera, before realising that of course she was talking to us, the great British deeply-traumatised by everything’s that happened on an ITV morning show public.”

And before too long, the words had been yanked from their original context and turned into something quite different ... with references to TV shows, films and politics flooding in.

"Firstly, are you OK? I hope so." pic.twitter.com/GxCtWWfHZJ

— Nooruddean (@BeardedGenius) June 5, 2023

*to the tune of Smooth Criminal* pic.twitter.com/7h102Y3ytX

— SHANE REACTION (@imshanereaction) June 5, 2023

“Firstly, are you okay? I hope so” pic.twitter.com/bibBW9HJBE

— HappyToast★ (@IamHappyToast) June 5, 2023

I propose that we all ditch the email opener "Hope you are well."

From here on in, it has to be: "Firstly, are you OK?"

— Etan Smallman (@EtanSmallman) June 5, 2023

"FIRSTLY, ARE YOU OK?" pic.twitter.com/yvJk37h3ZE

— Colm Nugent (@Wigapedia) June 5, 2023

Firstly, are you OK? pic.twitter.com/Vus8ig6KOj

— 🟢 Dave Hewitt (@void_if_removed) June 5, 2023

"Firstly, are you OK? I hope so,” It's a daytime midmorning show watched by bored housewives, benefit scroungers, stoned students and people who can't find the remote control to change the channel, it's not the fucking aftermath of a Russian invasion! #ThisMorning pic.twitter.com/RgRzhVmFJO

— Weasel (@KatieWeasel) June 5, 2023

Firstly, are you OK? pic.twitter.com/genLL7V118

— Helenope (@HelenMilburn) June 5, 2023

“Firstly, are you ok? I hope so.” pic.twitter.com/KOJI5MDyBy

— Mostly (@mostly_grumpy) June 5, 2023

Holly Willoughby: “Firstly, are you ok? I hope so.”
Me: pic.twitter.com/1m7sWr9hd3

— chris🧼 (@bleachy_chris) June 5, 2023

‘Firstly, are you ok? I hope you are.’ pic.twitter.com/eT7fqCbTpQ

— Tom Reagan’s Hat (@RufusTSuperfly) June 5, 2023

“Firstly, are you ok? I hope so.” pic.twitter.com/83SWOL39Kf

— Michael Hogan (@michaelhogan) June 5, 2023
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