This Morning’s Holly Willoughby is bewildered after guest presenter is bizarrely replaced with a COW

There were belly laughs all round on Thursday’s edition of This Morning as Holly Willougby and Phillip Schofield attempted to introduce guest presenter Josie Gibson.

The co-hosts saw the funny side after an otherwise straightforward segue to Gibson as she waited for her outside broadcast aboard the retired steamship SS Great Britain did not go according to plan.

With viewers expecting to see the Bristol based former Big Brother winner following her introduction, they were instead greeted by a statue of a large Friesian cow. 

‘That’s not Josie,’ a visibly surprised Holly blurted as her co-host burst into laughter. 

Fortunately the bubbly blonde, on hand to deliver details about the show’s latest cash competition, admitted she was in on the gag as she emerged from behind the lifelike animal sculpture. 

‘That’s not me,’ she said. ‘I will say that was the producer’s gag. I just went along with it.’ 

The gag comes after Holly and Phil were nearly forced to abandon their popular Spin To Win game on Wednesday, after six viewers failed to answer the phone for a chance to take part. 

The pair were baffled that viewers were unable to answer given most of the nation is still in lockdown, and came dangerously close to ditching the segment before a seventh caller finally picked up the phone.

But several viewers failed to answer the phone, with two failing to provide the correct pass phrase.

With the camera focused in on her as the dial tone rang, Holly tried to pass the time with some hilarious dance moves, while Phil simply looked concerned that the segment may have to be abandoned.

As call after call failed to pick up, Holly and Phil became even more bewildered, noting that it was impossible for viewers to be out as they were in lockdown.

Finally, on the seventh call, Scottish viewer Rhys picked up the phone, to the duo’s clear relief.