Emma Willis’ appearance on This Morning was cancelled on Monday just hours before she was due on air, as it was revealed the star was unwell and unable to join co-star Dermot O’Leary.
Instead, Dermot, 52, was joined by fellow ITV host Josie Gibson, as Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard take a break from screens in the run up to Christmas.
Taking to screens on the breakfast programme, Dermot and Josie, 40, were joined by a Christmas choir from the primary school attended by Emma, 49.
But the duo were quick to reveal that the Love Is Blind host would not be appearing this week as planned due to a last minute illness.
Dermot said: ‘Look who is back with me, it’s only miss Josie Gibson. Lovely to have you,’ to which Josie replied: ‘Thanks for having me!’
‘For for disclosure, Emma was supposed to be with us this week, but Emma is feeling a little bit poorly,’ Dermot continued, blowing a kiss at the camera.
Emma Willis’ appearance on This Morning was cancelled on Monday, as it was revealed the star was unwell and unable to join co-star Dermot O’Leary (pictured with fellow This Morning star Rylan Clark)
Dermot, 52, was joined by fellow ITV host Josie Gibson , as Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard take a break from screens in the run up to Christmas
‘Sending her big love – and that was Emma’s primary school, as well,’ Dermot continued, as Josie added: ‘Get well soon!’
It was not revealed what illness stopped Emma from taking to screens, and Daily Mail have contacted Emma’s representatives for comment.
It will no doubt come as a disappointment to fans, who previously begged for Emma to become a permanent fixture on This Morning after appearing as a co-host on the show alongside Rylan Clark.
Back in 2023, the duo filled in for the week leading up to Christmas, joining the revolving carousel of part-time presenters since Holly Willoughby‘s abrupt departure just months before.
Viewers took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to heap praise on the duo and demand them to become the permanent hosts of This Morning.
One person wrote: ‘Watching This Morning for the first time in 3 years. Only because it’s #Rylan and #Emma. Will be watching more if they’re presenting.’
Another echoed: ‘I absolutely LOVE Rylan & Emma on This Morning. Need more of them’.
A third added: ‘How refreshing to watch Emma &Rylan such a great team and chemistry’ while a fourth said: ‘Rylan & Emma; Dream Team’.
Someone else wrote: ‘Rylan and Emma are the best #ThisMorning duo and you can’t change my mind.’
Fans previously begged for Emma to become a permanent fixture on This Morning after appearing as a co-host on the show alongside Rylan Clark
Earlier this year, Emma revealed she had surgery to correct a hole in her heart
And a sixth said: ‘Nice to see Rylan & Emma on our screens, would be nice if these two were the permanent hosts’.
Someone else penned: ‘@Rylan &@EmmaWillis you should 100% be the full time presenters. You have a natural chemistry and that’s what’s needed rather than a forced one. @thismorning you know it makes sense and will bring you back to the top again!’
As another agreed: ‘Please just announce @EmmaWillis and @Rylan as the main presenters! There’s nobody better… Omg please please @thismorning can you’s give the lovely @Rylan and the beautiful @EmmaWillis the job hosting the This morning permanently…’
‘@Rylan and @EmmaWillis are the best combination I’ve seen on @thismorning. Give them the gig… Love Emma Willis as your presenter-she can be serious, kind, funny and lighthearted and you actually feel like she cares about people,’ someone else wrote.
‘Absolutely loved @EmmaWillis & @Rylan this week!!! It’s one of the best duos… the best duo ever with @Rylan and @EmmaWillis they have to be permanent… Dear @thismorning producers please can we keep @EmmaWillis,’ penned another.
‘Who thinks that @thismorning should give @Rylan and @EmmaWillis permanent job on the show #ThisMorning @ITV I think you should give them permanent job,’ someone else concluded.
Previously, Emma emerged as the bookies favourite to take Holly’s role on This Morning after impressing viewers with her consummate appearances.
And her undeniable popularity has been duly noted among bookmakers, with Ladbrokes giving her odds of 11/10 to claim the coveted presenting role full time.
Emma has filled in for the ITV show’s regular hosts on a number of occasions since 2023
Nicola McGeady of Ladbrokes said: ‘Emma Willis made a major impact on This Morning today and after instantly sparking a flurry of bets, she is the new favorite to replace Holly Willoughby.’
Elsewhere show regular Alison Hammond has odds of 2/1, Josie Gibson is 5/2 /1, Rochelle Humes, , 6/1, Kate Garraway, 10/1, and Storm Huntley, 14/1, while Abbey Clancy and Angela Scanlon are tied at 16/1.
It comes after Emma told fans she discovered she has had a hole in her heart since she was born and so had surgery at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London in April.
Keyhole heart surgery involves making small incisions in the chest as opposed to the breastbone as in traditional open heart surgery. This meant she avoided an open-heart recovery and instead had a ‘smooth’ recovery, but has had to learn to adjust.
This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1 and ITVX.
