Why Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield were presenting Friday's 'This Morning' - and who's replacing them over the summer

This Morning's Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield. (ITV/Joel Anderson) — This Morning's Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield have finished for the summer. (ITV/Joel Anderson)

This Morning viewers may have been confused when they tuned in on Friday morning to see Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield presenting on what is usually their day off.

Co-hosts and best pals Willoughby and Schofield are usually replaced by Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary on a Friday morning but came in on Friday to present their last show before taking a break over the summer.

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However, Hammond claimed to be confused by the line-up change too as she appeared at the start of the show claiming to have turned up out of habit.

Schofield joked: "It's good that Dermot couldn't be bothered, then."

Hammond shot back: "Dermot can never be bothered."

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Pictured: Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield

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This photograph is (C) ITV and can only be reproduced for editorial purposes directly in connection with the programme THIS MORNING or ITV. Once made available by the ITV Picture Desk, this photograph can be reproduced once only up until the Transmission date and no reproduction fee will be charged. Any subsequent usage may incur a fee. This photograph must not be syndicated to any other publication or website, or permanently archived, without the express written permission of ITV Picture Desk. Full Terms and conditions are available on the website www.itvpictures.com — Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby have the summer off. (ITV)

Willoughby and Schofield will now be off until September on their annual summer holiday, although the show continues in their absence.

Hammond and O'Leary signed off for the summer last Friday, and former Friday presenters Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford will be taking the reins from Monday for every show of the week over the summer holidays.

Married presenting team Holmes and Langsford were dropped as weekly hosts at the end of last year in favour of Hammond and O'Leary, and weren't invited back to cover half term either, but are back on screen until Willoughby and Schofield's return in September.

Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford co-host This Morning (Credit: ITV) — Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford will be back on Monday. (ITV)

At the time, O'Leary told Ireland AM: "It is always tricky when there are colleagues and friends involved.

"There’s nothing confirmed yet, but you know, we enjoyed doing the summer, so we’d like to do more.

"But at the same time, you don’t want to tread on anyone’s toes or treat anyone badly, so you’re always sort of caught between a rock and a hard place on that sort of stuff."

Read more: Eamonn Holmes hits back at viewer accusing him of looking bored on This Morning

He and Hammond were later confirmed as Friday regular replacements, but Holmes and Langsford bowed out graciously, asking viewers to be welcoming to them.

Watch: Holly Willoughby makes hilarious gardening slip-up on This Morning

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