HOLLY Willoughby has shared an emotional thank you message to Phillip Schofield and the This Morning team after her 40th birthday.

Following a day of fun celebrating the milestone yesterday, the TV host took to Instagram to reveal she felt "blessed" and ready to "take on the next decade".

Taking time to mention "best friend" and co-host Phillip, 58, Holly went on to list and thank everyone who had made her birthday "special".

Pictured smiling next to two birthday cakes made by This Morning's resident cook Juliet Sear, the mother-of-three penned and emotional message.

"So many thank you's for yesterday, hard to know where to begin," Holly wrote. "Everyone at @thismorning, our amazing producer Ashley and Editor @martinfrizell for making it so so special.

"[Phillip] for being the best friend and spoiling me rotten. So many memories were made, feel totally blessed and ready to take on this next decade."

Holly went on to detail how one of the cakes had sentimental value, reminding her of her family who she "misses hugely".

"Not one but two cakes!" she wrote. "One with real emotional attachment that connects me right back to my family who I miss so hugely, especially yesterday.

"The second was probably the most beautiful cake I've ever seen. An edible crystal, couldn't be more me!"

Dancing On Ice host Holly concluded the post by thanking her fans for their "lovely birthday wishes", saying: "It fills my heart. Thank you."

She joked it was time to go "back to reality" as celebrations came to and end, returning to another normal day in the ITV studios today.

Contemplating turning 40, Holly told This Morning viewers yesterday how she felt she had become the "best version of herself".

She celebrated on air by drinking champagne, tucking in to her cakes and breaking down in tears during a special message from her teenage crush Paul Young.

Holly started off the day in floods of tears as she was welcomed backstage by a tunnel of balloons.

Co-star Phillip showed off the incredible celebrations including hundreds of balloons and a giant 40th light-up sign.

Holly was speechless as she spotted the This Morning crew lined up along the corridor as they sang Stevie Wonder's Happy Birthday.

The blonde beauty was overwhelmed by the sweet gesture and began to well up with tears, joking: "I'm going to spend all day in tears."

Later, to mark the occasion, Holly wore the exact same dress her mum did on her 40th birthday to celebrate the milestone.

She also acknowledged her mum on Instagram, sharing a comparison pic and writing: "This photo of my Mum was taken on her 40th birthday at the party she had in the garden. I remember this day so clearly.

"It’s a strange thing to reach the age you remember your Mum being! …I asked her if she’d kept the dress and of course she had…

"Strange moment zipping it up this morning, wondering how she felt on her big day… I can’t be with my Mum or Dad today but wearing this in her honour makes me feel closer to them… love you Mumma! #sothisis40."

More tears were shed on air when Phillip read out a poem from viral star Tom Foolery, ending: "She's the sister I never had".

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She was also surprised by her life-long friends on videolink as she celebrated the milestone birthday, sharing in some of Holly's most embarrassing moments.

One said: "We used to giggle so much Holly would spend most of her time squatting on the floor trying not to wet herself.

"I'm sorry Holly, despite your best efforts, you didn't always succeed in not."

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