Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield have responded to accusations they jumped the queue to see the Queen lying in state – insisting they were only there in a journalistic capacity.

The pair have been heavily criticised after they were seen inside Westminster Hall last Friday morning, without joining the official queue.

Some people in the public queue had to wait more than 20 hours, with former England football captain David Beckham even lining up for 13 hours to pay his respects to the late monarch.

But while the famous presenting duo faced a backlash from social media users for “skipping the queue”, the pair claimed they had attended for the benefit of those who were not able to pay their respects in person.

During a pre-filmed statement aired on the ITV show, they said: “None of the broadcasters and journalists there took anyone’s place in the queue and no one filed past the Queen.”

A petition on Change.org calling for the duo to be taken off This Morning has received over 20,000 signatures.

The organiser, Laura Harrison, said: “It’s about the TV show being toxic and these presenters being given privileges that deprive others, and humiliate their own viewers in the process.”

ITV programme bosses later said in a statement that the hosting duo had attended to film a segment for Tuesday’s show.

As This Morning returned to ITV after the state funeral on Monday, the pair acknowledged the backlash but claimed they had ”respected” the rules set for the media.

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During the special episode, Willoughby said in a voiceover: ”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 have not 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 respect walked along a carpeted area beside the coffin and were given time to pause.

“None of the broadcasters and journalists there took anyone’s place in the queue and no one filed past 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. Please know that we would never jump a queue.”

This Morning previously addressed the visit in a statement posted on Instagram on Saturday, saying: ”We asked Phillip and Holly to be part of a film for this Tuesday’s programme.

“They did not jump the queue, have VIP access or file past the Queen lying in state - but instead were there in a professional capacity as part of the world’s media to report on the event.”

A UK Parliament spokesperson confirmed they had given media accreditation to journalists “for the purpose of reporting on the event for the millions of people in the UK and globally who haven’t been able to visit Westminster in person”.

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