Holly Willoughby has returned to This Morning for the primary time since Phillip Schofield's departure.

She started the present with the emotional statement delivered straight to camera, whereas holding arms with co-presenter Josie Gibson.

It comes after Schofield, 61, resigned from ITV final month over an affair with a youthful colleague. He insists he "did not" groom the man.

Here is Willoughby's assertion from This Morning in full:

Hi there. Good morning. Josie, thanks for being right here. Right, deep breath.

Firstly, are you OK? It feels very unusual certainly sitting right here with out Phil.

And I think about that you simply might need been feeling quite a bit like I've - shaken, troubled, let down, fearful for the wellbeing of individuals on all sides of what is been occurring, and filled with questions.

You, me and all of us at This Morning gave our love and assist to somebody who was not telling the reality, who acted in a method that they themselves felt that they needed to resign from ITV, and step down from a profession that they beloved. That is quite a bit to course of.

And it is equally exhausting to see the toll that it is taken on their very own psychological well being. I feel what unites us all now's a need to heal for the well being and wellbeing of everybody.

Read extra:Alison Hammond breaks downWhat we've learned from Schofield interviewsSchofield: I've lost everything

I hope that, as we begin this new chapter and get again to a spot of heat and magic that this present holds for all of us, we will discover energy in one another.

And, from my coronary heart, can I simply say thanks for all your sort messages. And thanks for being right here this morning.

Myself, Josie (Gibson), Dermot (O'Leary), Alison (Hammond), Craig (Doyle), and each single individual that works on this present will proceed to work exhausting each single day to carry you this present that we love.