THIS Morning stars Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield continue to be 'haunted by queue-gate' ahead of the National Television Awards.
Viewers 'aren’t likely' to forget the controversial decision to allow the ITV presenters to 'skip the line' to see the late Queen Elizabeth II lie in state.
According to PR expert Jo O'Reilly, the ordeal will "likely haunt [Holly and Phil] for some time" amid a surge in viral online memes.
Holly and Phil were slammed for skipping the queue to see HM The Queen lie in state. Picture: BBC News
Speaking exclusively to OMG-News.com, Jo explained that avid This Morning viewers might not be "quick to forget" the pair's 'queue-gate'.
"There used to be a saying back when newspapers were made of well, paper. Today's headlines are tomorrow's chip paper," she told OMG!
Jo added: "In the world of digital, that's not quite correct, people are quick to react but they're not always quick to forget."
A digital PR manager at Salience Search Marketing, Jo really knows what she's talking about when it comes to everything happening in the media.
She explained that "this morning's headlines are this afternoon's meme".
The pair have constantly been under fire on social media after 'queue-gate'. Picture: ITV
"Scandals such as queue-gate provide endless fodder for humour and analysis by commentators.
"Reactive marketing teams across the country rushed to join the fun when the queue gate scandal first broke, using it to sell everything from a trip to the London Dungeons to greeting cards further keeping the story alive in the press.
"It's no surprise that with the daytime TV duo expecting to feature prominently at the NTAs that the jokes are resurfacing his week."
According to Jo, Google searches for 'queue-gate' have spiked 456 per cent in the last 24 hours.
Holly and Phil were using a media pass and were working for This Morning at the time. Picture: ITV
"This is likely to haunt them for some time," explained Jo.
Holly previously explained in a statement: "Like hundreds of accredited broadcasters and journalists, we were given official permission to access the hall.
"It was strictly for the purpose of reporting on the event for millions of people in the UK who haven't been able to visit Westminster in person.
"The rules were that we would be quickly escorted around the edges to a platform at the back. In contrast, those paying respects walked along a carpeted area beside the coffin and were given time to pause."
PR expert Jo insists it may take viewers some time to forget about 'queue-gate'. Picture: ITV
She continued: "None of the broadcasters and journalists there took anyone's place in the queue and no one filed passed the Queen.
"We, of course, respected those rules, however, we realise that it may have looked like something else and therefore totally understand the reaction."
Have you got an OMG! story to sell? Email: hello@omg-news.com – we pay for your pictures, videos and tip-offs!
Pingback: Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield ‘forced into big queue outside the NTAs’ – OMG!