Phillip Schofield 'could be leaving This Morning in just a few weeks', say reports, amid stories of a falling out with co-host Holly Willoughby.
The TV presenter, who has fronted the show since 2002, could potentially be leaving the show as his contract reportedly comes up for renewal in September.
And if ITV bosses decide against renewal, it might mean that Phillip's final show could be as early as July, when he and Holly take their annual summer break.
The summer break will see the presenting duo replaced by Friday's hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary, and a rotation of other stars, including Josie Gibson and Rochelle Humes.
Phil and Holly were once famed for their close friendship, but are now said to be "barely speaking" off-camera at the moment and have "become more distant" in recent weeks.
And this could spell disaster for Phil, with insiders claiming that ITV bosses will not hesitate to act fast if they feel his on-screen chemistry with Holly has been ruined.
The Mirror has also claimed that the network was fuming that the 61-year-old went public on the rift as he released a statement in the hopes of mending their friendship.
It seems that ITV were not aware of this statement ahead of its publication, with a source telling the outlet: "This Morning's relationship with its viewers is built on trust, and they have to believe that Holly and Phil's friendship, and what they're watching, is real."
Adding that the "noise and speculation" over their friendship "could have easily been ignored", they continued: "But by putting this statement out there, he has turned what was a manageable situation into a feeding frenzy. If viewers now no longer believe in the pair, and make their views clear next week, make no mistake, ITV will act.
"Phil's position is looking increasingly precarious. Monday is very much D-day, but the same could apply to any day next week. No one is bigger than the brand."
It was also reported that while they "weren't as chummy as before", reports of backstage tension were "massively overblown", but Phil's statement has now "created the perception" of excessive drama, which producers of the show will not be happy about if it spills on to the screen.
Phil's official statement earlier this week read: "The last few weeks haven't been easy for either of us.
"As I have said before, Holly is my rock. We're the best of friends – as always, she is an incredible support on screen, behind the scenes and on the phone. Holly has always been there for me, through thick and thin. And I've been there for her."
Holly is said to have been left blindsided by Phillip's statement, with a source close to her claiming that the first she heard of it was when it was published online.
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