People are comparing it to Boris Johnson's Partygate cover-up
This Morning hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield have
broken their silence over the criticism they've faced since visiting the Queen's Lying-in-State at Westminster Hall.
Phil, 60, and Holly, 41, have faced backlash after they were spotted walking past queuing mourners and paying their respects in a different line to the public, even leading to a
petition to have the two presenters axed.
ITV has since been forced to release a statement clarifying they were there in a professional capacity with "press accreditation", insisting: "They did not file past The Queen's coffin", adding: "Any allegations of improper behaviour are categorically untrue."
Holly and Phillip appeared on Tuesday's This Morning after the show took a break so
ITV could cover the Queen's funeral on 19 September.
In a VT, they addressed the backlash, saying: "We were given special permission", adding: "Please know that we would never jump a queue!"
https://twitter.com/scottygb/status/1572155315784916994?s=20&t=EPZdXnRrZPgvOZHuG7dXTQ
But not everyone was buying their defiant defence.
Posting on Twitter, Rob Jeffries compared it to Boris Johnson's Partygate cover-up in which he told Parliament that “no Covid rules were broken” and “all guidance was followed in No 10”.
Eventually, dozens of police fines over Covid law-breaking in government buildings were issued by the Metropolitan Police.
https://twitter.com/RobJeffries/status/1572150847290605571?s=20&t=NhOsEmV9dJN-EmL4aCqvAg
Broadcaster Richard Chambers asked what the pair broadcast other than just them queuing, saying: "What they were supposed to be filming in the queue?"
Anita Singh also suggested the footage obtained from their queue-jumping feat might not be all it's cracked up to be.
https://twitter.com/anitathetweeter/status/1572155414623420418?s=20&t=NhOsEmV9dJN-EmL4aCqvAg
There were memes aplenty in response to Holly and Phil's statement, with one 'wejumpanyqueue' picture getting a lot of love.
https://twitter.com/Dantastic_1987/status/1572147412050890752?s=20&t=NhOsEmV9dJN-EmL4aCqvAg
https://twitter.com/RyanGSoapKing11/status/1571398704652754944?s=20&t=NhOsEmV9dJN-EmL4aCqvAg
Others seemed pretty baffled at their attempt to pull the wool over people's eyes:
https://twitter.com/Giddzer/status/1572150881583243267?s=20&t=NhOsEmV9dJN-EmL4aCqvAg
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