Holly Willoughby defended from 'haters' as she brings back ITV This Morning tradition after backlash

Holly Willoughby sparked concern among This Morning viewers last week as she appeared downcast following her and co-host Phillip Schofield's 'queue jump' backlash. The pair have come under fire from viewers after being spotted in Westminster Hall while the Queen was lying in state.

They were seen inside the venue on September 16, days before the Queen's state funeral following her death on September 8 while thousands of people joined a queue stretching across London to be able to pay their final respects to the late monarch. This Morning hit back at the claims saying they were there to report on the event.

As the duo returned to This Morning on Tuesday following the Queen's funeral, Holly addressed the outrage in a video documenting the events of the last couple of weeks right up until the late monarch's funeral. Holly could be heard saying in a voiceover as footage showed them outside Westminster Hall: "Like hundreds of accredited broadcasters and journalists, we were given official permission to access the hall.

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"It was strictly for the purpose of reporting on the event for millions of people in the UK who haven't been able to visit Westminster in person." She continued: "The rules were that we would be quickly escorted around the edges to a platform at the back. In contrast, those paying respects walked along a carpeted area beside the coffin and were given time to pause."

But tens of thousands of people ended up signing a petition to see Holly, 41, and Phillip, 60, axed from This Morning as they slammed the duo's 'non-apology'.

As viewers expressed their worry for Holly, who appeared