Holly Willoughby 'used Alison Hammond as a shield' while This Morning got booed

A ‘vulnerable-looking’ Holly Willoughby turned to her co-star Alison Hammond when This Morning was booed at the National Television Awards 2023.

The audience voiced their dissatisfaction when the ITV show was read out as one of the nominees in the daytime category, with the award eventually going to The Repair Shop, at the London event on Tuesday evening (September 5).

It was the first time in 12 years This Morning didn’t take home the gong, with Holly having earlier made a rare comment about her ‘difficult year’, in an obvious reference to the scandals that have rocked the show, while walking the red carpet.

While Holly, 42, and Alison, 48, seemed to shrug off the awkward booing moment by grinning, a body language expert has exclusively explained to Metro.co.uk there was more going on than meets the eye.

Judi James said the Wylde Moon founder, who recently returned to This Morning after a long summer break, used the new Bake Off host as a ‘shield’ and exhibited ‘clingy’ behaviour.

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She continued: ‘Holly took a self-diminished, vulnerable-looking role with her body language, at one point leaning into Alison and using her as a shield as she put her torso behind her arm and placed a hand on Alison in a clingy gesture.

‘Alison was presented as the star of the show during the awards, looking straight into the camera and doing comedy poses for her audience as Holly sat beside her with one arm folded across her own lap in a barrier ritual.

‘Holly’s smile did look a little forced and when Alison was featured Holly pursed her lips as she turned to clap her colleague with a childlike, small clapping gesture with her hands held high.’

Judi explained under pressure Holly enters into a ‘vulnerable child mode’, while Alison goes into ‘comedy leadership mode’ and fellow This Morning star Dermot O’Leary, 50, becomes ‘more stoic and unruffled.’

She continued: ‘Alison splayed when the cameras came to them, at one point leaning over Holly and stretching her hands out. Dermot sat with a warm grin as their clips were shown and was cheering open-mouthed like a fan during their call-out, suggesting resilience in the face of any booing.

‘Under pressure it looked like Holly goes into vulnerable child mode, Alison goes into comedy leadership mode and Dermot just looks more stoic and unruffled.’

Holly, who had been snubbed in the TV presenter category, eventually won by Ant and Dec for the 22nd time in a row, however, continued to brush off missing out on awards.

She shared a post on Instagram to congratulate The Repair Shop presenter Jay Blades for beating This Morning and later tucked into a burger from McDonald’s to round off her night.

Elaborating on her ‘difficult year’ which saw the departure of her longtime This Morning co-host Phillip Schofield, who admitted to lying about having an affair with a runner, she said it had been ‘up and down.’

While speaking to The Sun she added: ‘It has been a difficult year for everybody but what’s lovely is you find that people rally around you and the goodwill is there.

‘People want things to move on. It feels different.’

National Television Awards winners

Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award

Gogglebox

Returning Drama

Happy Valley

Reality Competition

Traitors

TV Interview

The Graham Norton Show

Serial Drama Performance

Danielle Harold (Lola Pearce, EastEnders)

Drama Performance

Sarah Lancashire (Catherine Cawood, Happy Valley)

Quiz/Game Show

The 1% Club

Factual

Paul O’Grady: For The Love Of Dogs

Rising Star

Bobby Brazier (Freddie Slater, EastEnders)

Authored Documentary

Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now

Comedy

Young Sheldon

Special Recognition

Sarah Lancashire

Daytime

The Repair Shop

New drama

Wednesday

TV Presenter

Ant and Dec

Talent Show

Strictly Come Dancing

Serial Drama

Eastenders

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