Phillip Schofield unfollows 'former BFF' Holly Willoughby on Instagram ahead of the first National Television Awards without him

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Phillip Schofield has unfollowed his former best friend Holly Willoughby on Instagram, it emerged today - four months after resigning from ITV's This Morning.

The move comes as This Morning seeks to defend its best daytime show title at the National Television Awards ceremony at The O2 in South East London this evening.

Willoughby still follows Schofield on Instagram, amid the ongoing backlash after he admitted to an 'unwise but not illegal' relationship with a younger male colleague on the show. The Sun also reported that Schofield still follows Willoughby's sister Kelly.

Following Schofield's resignation, he has become a pariah in the celebrity world - while This Morning has faced claims of toxicity and bullying behind the scenes.

Schofield, 61, and Willoughby, 42, had been longlisted for the best TV presenter prize at the NTAs, alongside fellow This Morning hosts Alison Hammond, Dermot O'Leary, Rylan Clark and Martin Lewis, but only Hammond and Lewis made the cut.

Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby in happier times on ITV's This Morning on February 2

Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby at the NTAs at Wembley Arena on October 13 last year

Willoughby is said to be determined to lead This Morning to defend its title, although she failed to make the shortlist for best presenter for the second year in a row.

It comes after the pair faced boos from the crowd at last year's NTAs at Wembley Arena in London following the scandal in which they appeared to skip the queue to see the Queen lying in state.

Yesterday, Willoughby and Hammond returned to the ITV show, opening it in a cringeworthy outdoor segment alongside the cast of Mamma Mia! The Party.

The stage performers entertained with a medley of Abba classic songs, including Dancing Queen, SOS and title track Mamma Mia, while This Morning stars including Gyles Brandreth, James Martin and Alice Beer danced in the crowd.

Willoughby said: 'It is such a good way to start the show. Now, we are back from our summer break but it's not just the start of the new season for our show, for many people out there today is the first day of school.'

Speaking about her own children's return to school, she added: 'All good, except we all opened the window today and went 'Oh summer decided to arrive today'.'

At the NTAs tonight, Hammond and Lewis will compete against Ant and Dec as well as The Traitors host Claudia Winkleman and The Chase's Bradley Walsh.

This Morning, which has been on a winning streak in the daytime category for the last number of years, is up against The Chase, Loose Women and The Repair Shop. 

This Morning's team celebrate their award at the NTAs at The O2 in London in January 2020 

Comedian and TV presenter Joel Dommett will return for the third year as host of the NTAs, which will be broadcast live tonight from 8pm on ITV1. 

Dame Deborah James and Paul O'Grady have both been posthumously recognised in the nominations, with Dame Deborah named in the authored documentary category, for Bowelbabe In Her Own Words.

Dame Deborah set up the Bowelbabe cancer research fund, and died last year at the age of 40 after suffering from bowel cancer.

Her documentary will compete against Rob Burrow: Living With MND, Lewis Capaldi: How I'm Feeling Now and Matt Willis: Fighting Addiction.

TV presenter and comedian O'Grady, who died earlier this year, has also been nominated in the factual entertainment category for his show For The Love Of Dogs.

It will go up against Clarkson's Farm, Sort Your Life Out and The Martin Lewis Money Show Live.

In the running for the Bruce Forsyth entertainment award are two shows from Donnelly and McPartlin - I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! and Saturday Night Takeaway - as well as Gogglebox and The Masked Singer.

Alison Hammond and Holly Willoughby presented ITV's This Morning together earlier today

Yesterday, Holly Willoughby and Alison Hammond returned to ITV's This Morning, opening it in a cringeworthy outdoor segment alongside the cast of Mamma Mia! The Party

Meanwhile, Britain's Got Talent, Strictly Come Dancing, The Great British Bake Off and The Great British Sewing Bee are nominated for best talent show.

Piers Morgan is nominated in a new TV interviews category this year for his Piers Morgan Uncensored on Talk TV, alongside Louis Theroux Interviews... The Chris & Rosie Ramsey Show and The Graham Norton Show.

In the new drama category is Netflix hit Queen Charlotte: A Bridgeton Story, Blue Lights, Beyond Paradise, and Wednesday, which stars Jenna Ortega as the Addams Family character Wednesday Addams.

For her role in the Bridgerton prequel, India Amarteifio, who plays Queen Charlotte, has been nominated for the drama performance award alongside Happy Valley stars James Norton and Sarah Lancashire who are competing against Vera's Brenda Blethyn and Call the Midwife's Judy Parfitt.

The climax of Happy Valley is in the running for the returning drama prize, alongside Stranger Things, Call The Midwife and Vera.

Over in the reality competition category is The Traitors, SAS: Who Dares Wins, Race Across The World and Love Island, which aired its 10th season this year.

Other categories include serial drama, serial drama performance, comedy, rising star and quiz game show.