Amanda Holden suddenly halts her radio show after awkward Phillip Schofield comment

Amanda Holden abruptly paused her radio show on Tuesday morning when Phillip Schofield was mentioned on air. The star was co-hosting Heart Breakfast with Jamie Theakston when the latter referred to the disgraced This Morning presenter, causing the Britain’s Got Talent judge to shut the conversation down. 

Amanda, 55, was chatting with Jamie, also 55, in the studio with Jack Whitehall, 37, who is due to host the upcoming BRIT Awards on Saturday in Manchester. The former wanted to know what the comedian was planning to wear to the glamorous event. 

She asked if he was going to wear a “snappy pair of socks” like his comedian and actor father Michael Whitehall. When Jack replied, “well, I don’t want to be upstaged by a sock”, she added, “well, Jamie, I rest my case”. 

Jamie then said: “What are you talking about? Children’s television? That wasn’t me, that was Phillip Schofield.” To which Amanda responded: “Oh God, please, let’s not mention that name on air, it’s a family show!”

The former This Morning presenter stepped down from the ITV show in 2023 after admitting to having an “unwise” affair with a younger colleague. His co-host, Holly Willoughby, departed soon afterwards following a foiled kidnap and murder plot.

TV feud

However, it appears that Amanda’s desire to not discuss Phillip runs even deeper, with rumblings of a feud beginning long before the scandal. The pair presented together on This Morning when Holly was on maternity leave in 2014.

However, it is understood that Amanda was furious when Phillip reportedly campaigned for Rochelle Humes to get the role filling in on the show in 2018. Indeed, the former The Saturdays singer stepped in when Holly was in Australia hosting I’m A Celebrity in Ant McPartlin‘s place. 

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The star was hosting Heart Breakfast with Jamie Theakston (pictured in 2023)

Jamie has previously asked Amanda about the disagreement on their Heart Radio programme. When he tried to broach the subject seven years ago, she said: “I’ve moved on from it, Jamie, you need to move on from it.”

In the conversation, from 2019, Amanda told Jamie that Phillip had ignored her offer to meet up. “I did offer to meet him for a coffee months ago, he didn’t reply to my text,” she said. “What can I say?”

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Phillip Schofield presented This Morning with Rochelle Humes for a period in 2018

It comes just weeks after Amanda and friend Alan Carr confirmed they had turned down the opportunity to replace Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman on Strictly Come Dancing. During a joint appearance on Jessie Ware’s Table Manners podcast, the comedian revealed that the pair had turned down the offer to present the show “ages ago”.