Holly Willoughby joins Joanna Lumley and Sheridan Smith’s in This Morning pantomime

Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield couldn’t contain their laughter as they joined their This Morning co-stars for an innuendo-laden pantomime on Friday.

The pair were transformed into the stunning princess Cinderella and her best friend Buttons as they desperately tried to make it to Prince Charming’s socially-distanced ball.

It was a show that was full of cheeky innuendos and one-liners as Holly and Phillip joked about there being ‘no sign of d**k’ and ‘taking a leak.’

Transforming into the Fairy Godmother This Morning’s new Friday presenter Alison Hammond kicked off the show in stellar fashion, introducing a fun opening song by Britain’s Got Talent champion John Courtenay.

The presenter reassured viewers that she’d adhered to COVID-19 travel restrictions during her journey into the studio, declaring that airy godmothers are key workers.’

As Phillip and Holly introduced the show, the presenting duo were rudely interrupted by the Evil Stepmother, who was played by acting thespian Joanna.

For a moment the screen star forget she was supposed to be in character, telling the pair: ‘Well well well, thank you darlings do you like my crown?

‘Ohh wait back in character I am not Joanna Lumley! I am your wicked stepmother, rumour is you are doing a pantomime… if I don’t get to be Cinderella nobody does!’

Holly and Phillip cowered in fear as Joanna vowed there wouldn’t be a festive pantomime while she was around. 

Friday’s show also marked Holly and Phillip’s last before heading off on a Christmas break, with Eamonn and Ruth taking over presenting duties next week. 

Last month This Morning confirmed that they were throwing a festive pantomime for viewers, after much of the UK were forced to cancel their own Christmas shows due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The theatre industry has been one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, with many venues still closed or reopening with reduced audiences  after being forced to shut their doors in March. 

The ‘mash-up’ combined a collection of popular panto classics such as Dick Whittington, Jack and the Beanstalk, Peter Pan, Aladdin and Snow White – to name a few.

Speaking ahead of the fun performance, Joanna said: ‘All of us who appear in front of the audience are painfully aware of the desperate situation of everyone who makes shows and plays happen: the chorus and crowd artists and dancers… 

‘And then backstage, choreographers and chorus masters, props and costumes and dressers, and writers… the list goes on and on. 

‘To be able to help them in any small way is a privilege and a pleasure; and I am thrilled that we shall be paying tribute to them in this sensational one-off pantomime. 

‘They don’t get any of the financial help that is being dished out across the country; so we must do our very best for them now when they need us most.’ 

Sheridan said: ‘The whole theatre and creative industries have been devastated by the virus and lockdown. 

‘Hopefully doing this Panto with This Morning will provide some of these people much needed work and give everyone some hope and laughter for better times to come.’

This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV.