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Holly Willoughby returned to This Morning after a turbulent couple of weeks, and although she stressed that we might’ve been ‘shaken’ by the Phillip Schofield scandal, her body language proved otherwise.

The 42-year-old hasn’t been seen on the programme since Thursday May 18, when Schofield’s final episode as co-host aired.

Shortly afterwards, he announced that he was leaving his position, before admitting that he lied about having an affair with a younger runner, concealing the truth from his bosses, colleagues, family and friends.

During Monday’s highly-anticipated episode, the Dancing on Ice host looked to co-star Josie Gibson for support as she delivered her speech to the cameras following Phil’s bombshell interviews.

‘I imagine that you might have been feeling a lot like I have – shaken, troubled, let down, worried for the wellbeing of people on all sides of what’s been going on and full of questions,’ she said before she expressed the ‘desire to heal.’

Reflecting on Holly’s interaction with Celebrity Big Brother winner Josie, body language expert Judi James dissected what played out on screen.

Holly Willoughby’s statement in full as she returns to This Morning after Phillip Schofield exit

‘Hi there, good morning. Josie, thank you for being here. Right, deep breath. Firstly, are you ok? I hope so. It feels very strange indeed sitting here without Phil.

‘I imagine that you might have been feeling a lot like I have – shaken, troubled, let down, worried for the wellbeing of people on all sides of what’s been going on and full of questions.

‘You me and all of us at This Morning gave our love and support to someone who was not telling the truth, who acted in a way that they themselves felt that they had to resign from ITV and step down from a career that they loved. That is a lot to process, and it’s equally hard to see the toll that it’s taken on their own mental health.

‘I think what unites us all now is a desire to heal, for the health and wellbeing of everyone.

‘I hope that we start this new chapter and get back to a place of warmth and magic that this show holds for all of us, we can find strength in each other.

‘From my heart, can I just say thank you for all of your kind messages and thank you for being here this morning. Myself, Josie, Dermot, Alison, Craig and every single person that works on this show will continue to work hard every single day to bring you this show that we love.’

‘Holly held Josie’s hand twice through her little speech and at the end it was Josie insisting on one of the massive hugs that are a tradition on This Morning, throwing her arms round Holly as though congratulating her for being a survivor,’ she told Metro.co.uk.

She added: ‘Holly delivered her speech in empathy mode, asking us how we are as though we had been ‘shaken and troubled’ like her, although clearly aware that we had not, like her, been feeling shaken while out on a beach holiday abroad.’

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Shortly after his shock announcement, Willoughby, 42, shared her own statement on social media, saying she was ‘hurt’ to have been ‘lied’ to.

She wrote: ‘It’s taken time to process yesterday’s news. When reports of this relationship first surfaced, I asked Phil directly if this was true and was told it was not.

‘It’s been very hurtful to now find out that this was a lie. Holly.’

Holly will be joined by Josie Gibson for the first two shows of next week’s This Morning, while Craig Doyle will be her co-host later in the week, as Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary return for Friday’s episode as normal.

It has not yet been confirmed who Phillip’s permanent replacement will be.

This Morning airs weekdays at 10am on ITV.

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