Holly Willoughby has said she felt “let down” as she made her first This Morning appearance since her former co-presenter Phillip Schofield resigned over an “unwise, but not illegal” relationship with a younger man.

As she returned to screens after going on holiday, she said she felt “shaken, troubled, let down”, and “worried for the wellbeing of people on all sides of what’s been going on”.

“We have given our love and support to someone not telling the truth,” she added.

Schofield, 61, resigned from ITV last month over the affair and has since insisted he “did not” groom the man, who the presenter said was 20 years old when their relationship began.

Willoughby’s return to the show comes after she hit out at her former co-host and accused him of lying to her over his affair.

In a statement last week she said: “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.”

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Phillip Schofield: Timeline of ITV departure

Schofield’s affair took place while the television star was still married to wife Stephanie Lowe, and before he came out publicly as gay in 2020.

He had denied having a relationship with a colleague when questioned by ITV about rumours in early 2020.

ITV has since announced an external review of the saga led by a barrister.