This Morning fans were baffled as Holly Willoughby went missing from the morning show on Thursday – and was replaced by a big name co-star instead.
Host Josie Gibson, 38, was joined by the much-loved Alison Hammond, 48.
Alison – who has recently made her debut as presenter of Bake Off – joked she was getting jealous of seeing Josie and Holly together on the show.
Although Friday is typically Holly’s day off – her absence on a Thursday left viewers in confusion.
Beaming Josie kicked off the morning show as she said: ‘Look who’s joined me. It’s only the one and only Alison Hammond!’
![Holly Willoughby's Absence on ITV's This Morning Leaves Viewers Surprised as Co-star Takes Over 2 Unusual: This Morning fans were baffled as Holly Willoughby went missing from the morning show on Thursday - and was replaced by a big name co-star instead](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/05/11/76198977-12597371-Unusual_This_Morning_fans_were_baffled_as_Holly_Willoughby_went_-a-53_1696503295783.jpg)
Unusual: This Morning fans were baffled as Holly Willoughby went missing from the morning show on Thursday – and was replaced by a big name co-star instead
![Holly Willoughby's Absence on ITV's This Morning Leaves Viewers Surprised as Co-star Takes Over 4 Dynamic duo! Host Josie Gibson , 38, was joined by the much-loved Alison Hammond , 48](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/05/11/76199041-12597371-Dynamic_duo_Host_Josie_Gibson_38_was_joined_by_the_much_loved_Al-a-55_1696503306618.jpg)
Dynamic duo! Host Josie Gibson , 38, was joined by the much-loved Alison Hammond , 48
‘Oh, Josie! I hope you don’t mind, I got a bit jealous. I saw you and Holly and you were talking about being blonde and I thought ‘I’m going to shake this up a bit. I’m getting in there,’ replied Allison.
‘Is that ok? You don’t mind?’
But Josie quipped : ‘No, of course not, I love you!’, while Alison replied: ‘I love you too.’
Fans took to X as they reacted to the presenter’s absence, wondering why Holly, 42, didn’t previously her unusual non-attendance.
One wrote: ‘#ThisMorning princess Holly missing again? It is about time ITV made her work for her £1million. 5 days a week 48 weeks a year like the rest of us.’
‘Is #HollyWilloughby off on her “hols” again? Well to be fair she has worked a 4 day week for at least 3 weeks. Time to get rid of her permanently guys. #toxicworkplace #ThisMorning,’ another user commented.
A third said: ‘No Holly today?! Devastated. #HollyWilloughby’
Another person quoted a tweet saying ‘No Holly!’ as they penned: ‘Not even a mention of why she’s not on today?!’
![Holly Willoughby's Absence on ITV's This Morning Leaves Viewers Surprised as Co-star Takes Over 6 Weird: Although Friday is typically Holly's day off - her absence on a Thursday left viewers confused](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/05/11/76199619-12597371-image-a-40_1696502775753.jpg)
Weird: Although Friday is typically Holly’s day off – her absence on a Thursday left viewers confused
![Holly Willoughby's Absence on ITV's This Morning Leaves Viewers Surprised as Co-star Takes Over 8 Good times: Beaming Josie kicked off the morning show as she said: 'Look who's joined me. It's only the one and only Alison Hammond!'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/05/11/76199033-12597371-Good_times_Beaming_Josie_kicked_off_the_morning_show_as_she_said-a-57_1696503317204.jpg)
Good times: Beaming Josie kicked off the morning show as she said: ‘Look who’s joined me. It’s only the one and only Alison Hammond!’
![Holly Willoughby's Absence on ITV's This Morning Leaves Viewers Surprised as Co-star Takes Over 10 Great pair: 'Oh, Josie! I hope you don't mind, I got a bit jealous. I saw you and Holly and you were talking about being blonde and I thought 'I'm going to shake this up a bit. I'm getting in there,' replied Allison](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/05/11/76199043-12597371-Great_pair_Oh_Josie_I_hope_you_don_t_mind_I_got_a_bit_jealous_I_-a-59_1696503327952.jpg)
Great pair: ‘Oh, Josie! I hope you don’t mind, I got a bit jealous. I saw you and Holly and you were talking about being blonde and I thought ‘I’m going to shake this up a bit. I’m getting in there,’ replied Allison
![Holly Willoughby's Absence on ITV's This Morning Leaves Viewers Surprised as Co-star Takes Over 12 Fans took to X as they reacted to the presenter's absence, wondering why Holly, 42, didn't previously her unusual non-attendance.](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/05/11/76199485-12597371-Fans_took_to_X_as_they_reacted_to_the_presenter_s_absence_wonder-m-47_1696503107476.jpg)
Fans took to X as they reacted to the presenter’s absence, wondering why Holly, 42, didn’t previously her unusual non-attendance.
![Holly Willoughby's Absence on ITV's This Morning Leaves Viewers Surprised as Co-star Takes Over 14 76199481 12597371 image m 49 1696503136641](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/05/11/76199481-12597371-image-m-49_1696503136641.jpg)
![Holly Willoughby's Absence on ITV's This Morning Leaves Viewers Surprised as Co-star Takes Over 16 76199487 12597371 image m 50 1696503236835](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/05/11/76199487-12597371-image-m-50_1696503236835.jpg)
Holly kissed her husband Dan Baldwin on the cheek as she wished him a happy birthday in loved-up post earlier on Wednesday.
The presenter – who rarely gives a glimpse into her marriage – celebrated the TV producer’s day by sharing a sweet photograph of them to Instagram.
In the post, Holly and Dan, 49, could been at a festival from over the summer with the stage seen in the background.
She captioned the post: ‘Happy birthday to my Love.’
The couple tied the knot at Amberley Castle in Sussex on August 4, 2007, and they have since welcomed three children together.
Now parents to children Harry, Belle and Chester, the couple maintain a low profile away from work.
Holly gave fans a rare insight into the saucy repartee that sparked her initial romance with husband Dan as she co-hosted This Morning.
The presenter originally dated TV producer Baldwin while working on chaotic Saturday morning children’s show Ministry Of Mayhem, before exchanging vows in 2007.
But Holly hinted at the flirty banter that originally sparked her interest in Baldwin while presenting Thursday’s show alongside Craig Doyle.
![Holly Willoughby's Absence on ITV's This Morning Leaves Viewers Surprised as Co-star Takes Over 18 Couple: Holly kissed her husband Dan Baldwin, 49, on the cheek as she wishes him a happy birthday in loved-up post on Wednesday](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/05/11/76183531-12597371-Holly_Willoughby_42_kissed_her_husband_Dan_Baldwin_49_on_the_che-a-45_1696503001335.jpg)
Couple: Holly kissed her husband Dan Baldwin, 49, on the cheek as she wishes him a happy birthday in loved-up post on Wednesday
![Holly Willoughby's Absence on ITV's This Morning Leaves Viewers Surprised as Co-star Takes Over 20 Husband and wife: The presenter, who rarely gives a glimpse into her marriage, celebrated the TV producer's day by sharing a sweet photograph of them to Instagram (pictured in 2016)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/05/11/76183503-12597371-Husband_and_wife_The_presenter_who_rarely_gives_a_glimpse_into_h-a-46_1696503003459.jpg)
Husband and wife: The presenter, who rarely gives a glimpse into her marriage, celebrated the TV producer’s day by sharing a sweet photograph of them to Instagram (pictured in 2016)
Co-hosting a debate about the return of cheesy chat-up lines, Doyle gamely asked if Holly remembered Baldwin’s first romantic endeavours.
‘I actually do, but it’s not for morning telly,’ she admitted as guests Nick Ferrari and Nicola Thorp burst into fits of laughter.
She added: ‘It wasn’t really rude, but it was a little bit naughty, so not for morning telly.’