Sky News Cuts From Warzone In Jerusalem To Announce Holly Willoughby's Resignation

Broadcaster faces social media backlash for handling of presenter leaving This Morning.
Holly Willoughby announced she was quitting the ITV daytime show after 14 years.
Holly Willoughby announced she was quitting the ITV daytime show after 14 years.
via Associated Press

Sky News has prompted anger as the broadcaster broke news of Holly Willoughby’s resignation from This Morning while broadcasting live from Jerusalem.

Presenter Mark Austin was delivering updates from the warzone on Tuesday when the British television host took to social media to announce she was quitting the daytime show.

The coverage of the Israeli-Hamas conflict was interrupted as the death toll reached more than 1,000.

Sky posted the clip of Willoughby’s exit on social media – with many re-posting the video and criticising the handling of the story.

BREAKING: Holly Willoughby says she will not return to This Morning.

In a social media post making the announcement the presenter says “I now feel I have to make this decision for me and my family”.

👉 https://t.co/ZfrxxrUUp5

📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/eR78zH8GPq

— Sky News (@SkyNews) October 10, 2023

Austin told viewers: “Let’s get some news away from here now and it is breaking news.

“The presenter Holly Willoughby has told ITV that she will not return to host This Morning.”

He continued: “She has not returned to the show since a man was charged last week with an alleged plot to kidnap and murder her.”

Sky News reporter Shamaan Freeman-Powell then continued with the story from the London studio.

Not Holly Willoughby's resignation being reported from a literal warzone pic.twitter.com/H5xtELVW1k

— Mark (@mrkphllps1) October 10, 2023

“We’re live from Israel, there’s a massive war going on, hundreds of men women and children have been massacred, but here is breaking news that Holly Willoughby …” sorry WHAT 👀

And we wonder why people don’t understand history or politics. FFS. 🤦🏻♂️🤯pic.twitter.com/5aG1q2EA4d

— Brendan May (@bmay) October 10, 2023

…announcing holly willoughby is leaving this morning from jerusalem https://t.co/ZBGviKPIaI

— a rare photo of sean connery signed by roger moore (@steamedhamms) October 10, 2023

Mark Austin reporting from Jerusalem for Sky News that Holly Willoughby has quit This Morning. Fucking mental.

— Boris Johnson’s hair (@borisstupidhair) October 10, 2023

Imagine reporting live from an active war zone and having to stop reporting on that for the “Breaking News” that Holly Willoughby has left This Morning. Our country is a parody sometimes. https://t.co/yAVRnSfViQ

— Michael Lavelle (@mikelavelle93) October 10, 2023

Holly Willoughby is not, has never been, and will never be, breaking news.

— Dr Gill Allard (@GillAllard) October 10, 2023

The criticism soon became mockery.

“It’s one small step for man… and I’m just hearing Holly Willoughby has resigned…” https://t.co/UsBbWUgMlZ pic.twitter.com/qMdDasjSKI

— christhebarker (@christhebarker) October 10, 2023

“I have in my hand a piece of paper. It says ‘Holly Willoughby has left This Morning’.” pic.twitter.com/rEnYCEEAuW

— Mark Gillies (@5goalthriller) October 10, 2023

I must interrupt this broadcast to tell you that Holly Willoughby has resigned with immediate effect pic.twitter.com/bj1HXDuRCi

— James Bloodworth 🇺🇦 (@J_Bloodworth) October 10, 2023

Hearing that Holly
Willoughby has resigned pic.twitter.com/CCa3L0htoV

— Al Murray - DKMS.ORG.UK 🇺🇦 (@almurray) October 10, 2023

'Holly Willoughby has resigned, at 1pm Central Standard Time...' https://t.co/0eV5GCYGjC pic.twitter.com/6bBHs9J1Wr

— Stephen Graham 🇺🇦 (@StephenCVGraham) October 10, 2023

*Winds field telephone
"Hello? Hello? HOLLY WILLOUGHBY HAS RESIGNED! JA! I AM TELLING YOU! HELLO? HELLO?"
*Winds telephone
"HELLO? HELLO? JA! HOLLY WILLOUGHBY HAS RESIGNED!" pic.twitter.com/5SOReAftRM

— Brian Williams (@BriW74) October 10, 2023

“Holly Willoughby has left This Morning” pic.twitter.com/UFDE6x9hHv

— Weasel (@KatieWeasel) October 10, 2023

The 42-year-old revealed she was standing down in the aftermath of a man being charged over an alleged plot to kidnap her last week.

She wrote: “I have let ITV know today that after 14 years, I will not be returning to This Morning.

“To everyone who has ever worked on the show over the years, thank you so so much. This is such a difficult goodbye, you are incredible and I forever will be proud of what we’ve done together. Thank you to everyone at ITV for being supportive. To every guest who has sat on our sofa, thank you.

“Most of all, thank you to the wonderful viewers. You’ve been so loyal, so supportive and the very best company every day.”

She continued: “Richard and Judy said ‘we only look after this show, it will always belong to the viewers’. It’s been an honour to just be part of its story and I know this story has many chapters left to go. Sadly, however, I now feel I have to make this decision for me and my family.

“I will miss you all so much.”

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