Reactions pour in to Holly and Phil’s defiant This Morning defence

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 Related links:

• Prince Harry and Prince Andrew arrive at Queen's funeral wearing morning suit
• Why you have never seen a picture of the Queen pregnant - even though she has four children
• Behind-the-scenes photos show exhausted beefeaters taking a break from guarding Queen’s coffin
• Woman visits Queen’s coffin eight times in less than 24 hours