Phillip Schofield unfollows ‘former BFF’ Holly Willoughby on Instagram ahead of the first National Television Awards without him

Phillip Schofield has unfollowed his former best friend Holly Willoughby on Instagram, it emerged today – four months resigning from ITV’s This Morning.

The move comes as This Morning seeks to defend its best daytime show title at the National Television Awards ceremony at The O2 in South East London this evening.

Willoughby still follows Schofield on Instagram amid the ongoing backlash after he admitted to an ‘unwise but not illegal’ relationship with a younger male colleague on the show. The Sun also reported that Schofield still follows Willoughby’s sister Kelly.

Following Schofield’s resignation, he has become a pariah in the celebrity world – while This Morning has faced claims of toxicity and bullying behind the scenes.

Schofield, 61, and Holly Willoughby had been longlisted for the best TV presenter prize at the NTAs, alongside fellow This Morning hosts Alison Hammond, Dermot O’Leary, Rylan Clark and Martin Lewis, but only Hammond and Lewis made the cut.

Yesterday, Willoughby and Hammond returned to the ITV show, opening it in a cringeworthy outdoor segment alongside the cast of Mamma Mia! The Party.

At the NTAs tonight, Hammond and Lewis will compete against Ant and Dec as well as The Traitors host Claudia Winkleman and The Chase’s Bradley Walsh.

More to follow