A SACKED This Morning star has spoken out against her treatment on a TV show – and how it left her mental health in tatters.
The ITV regular has opened up about how she was axed from a programme after coming forward about a ‘bullying’ producer – but said her her claims were ignored.
The money-savvy star has revealed the sacking from a show left her ‘mentally ill’.
Money-saving expert, Holly Jay-Smith, otherwise known as Holly Vlogs, was a frequent face on the show and known as the ‘coupon queen’.
In December last year she revealed she underwent surgery for two bone tumours in her leg.
In March earlier this year, disappointed fans took to the comment section of one of her posts and asked if she’d been given the opportunity to return to This Morning.
But the heartbroken star replied: “I offered but they replied saying they had moved on (which is perfectly fine). Would have loved to have a last show tho.”
Now, Holly has taken to social media to speak on her mystery show axe.
She said: “Let me set the record straight: I wasn’t axed from a certain TV show because of my bone tumours.
“I was bullied by a newly promoted producer for asking for autistic adaptions, she tried to trick me into signing out of my contract early, and my complaints were ignored.
“The therapist they provided was pure damage control.
“Some might not believe me or wonder why I’m speaking out now.
“I’m now in possession of recordings that will reveal the truth if they try and take me to court.
“So for now this is the Coupon Queen over and out. Not associated with any coupon expert on TV.”
She continued: “I will say no more on this matter on my socials.
“This experience left me mentally ill for months, especially when they came after my brand.
“The saddest part is that what started as a dream come true ended up as a nightmare.
“This kind of mistreatment is happening on MANY shows, not just one, and it’s completely unacceptable.”
Hours later, Holly wrote to her fans: “My inbox is flooded right now, so just want to thank everyone for their kind words.
“I thought I’d be a emotional mess but it’s a weight of my chest. See you in 2025”
The Sun has approached ITV for comment.
Holly previously spoke out earlier this year about leaving the show.
She penned on her Instagram story: “The fact that I haven’t been on This Morning for over a year and people still tag me and say they miss me means so much.
“But please be king to anyone else doing the ‘money-saving’ segments on the show – it’s not fair to compare us or pit us against each other. Much love x.”
Holly, who has autism, added in another lengthy post: “Over the past few months, I’ve been feeling down about something that ‘was,’ instead of remembering how great it was.
“As an autistic person, it’s hard to move on from something when you never received closure.
“It also has a habit of making you replay one negative experience over and over in your head, causing you to forget the hours upon hours of amazing times, the people you met, and the friends you made.
“ITV’s Morning rescued me from a dark place and allowed me to share my special interest with millions of people every single Friday for nearly two years.
“So… to the presenters who I spent every week with, thank you for taking the time to understand my disability, for helping me get through the weeks where I was struggling and just for being amazing people.
“To the floor managers, hosts, producers, assistant producers, the makeup team, the art department, the cameramen and women (and everyone else behind the scenes) you are the glue that holds the show together. I thank you for putting a smile on my face every week.”
What is autism?
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an incurable, lifelong developmental condition that affects how people perceive the world and interact with others.
It affects around one in 100 people in the UK and is three to four times more common in boys than in girls.
Many people with ASD find it hard to understand other people’s feelings and emotions, and they may have difficulty holding conversations.
When they are young, their language development may take longer and they can struggle to use facial expressions, using gestures to communicate instead.
They may also find it hard to connect with other people and to hold eye contact with unfamiliar individuals.
Many children with ASD like to follow a routine, and changes to this can cause distress.
High functioning autism is an informal term some people use to describe those on the autism spectrum disorder.
