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Phillip Schofield – latest: Former This Morning host axed as Prince’s Trust ambassador after affair furore

Phillip Schofield has been “removed from the Prince’s Trust website” as an ambassador in the wake of his This Morning scandal.

This development comes after Eamonn Holmes continued to weigh in on the controversy, hitting out at disgraced former host Schofield as well as his former co-star, Holly Willoughby, and broadcaster ITV.

Holmes, who used to present the daytime show himself with wife Ruth Langsford, appeared in a GB News interview on Monday 29 May, during which he made a number of allegations about the supposed “toxic” atmosphere on the current iteration of the programme.

“I don’t think you will ever see Holly Willoughby back on the couch,” he claimed to interviewer Dan Wootton.

The Independent has contacted ITV and Willoughby’s representatives for comment.

The 42-year-old is currently on holiday and scheduled to return to This Morning on Monday 5 June.

Friday presenters Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary are hosting in place of her and Schofield, who quit ITV altogether last week after admitting he lied about his “unwise” but “not illegal” affair with a younger colleague.

In a statement issued last week, Willoughby said that learning Schofield had lied to her about the affair had been “hurtful”.

On Monday (29 May), Schofield shared an Instagram post hitting back at the “handful of people with a grudge against me or the show”.

Key Points

Phillip Schofield ‘removed from Prince’s Trust website as ambassador’ following affair scandal

19:54 , Inga Parkel

Phillip Schofield appears to have been removed from The Prince’s Trust website as an ambassador following his affair scandal with a younger colleague on This Morning.

Schofield was previously listed as an ambassador for the organisation, which was founded by King Charles III in 1976 to help disadvantaged people under 30 in the UK. The charity has many celebrity partners and goodwill ambassadors, including Fearne Cotton, Christine Lampard and Cheryl.

Read more:

 (PA Wire)
(PA Wire)

Phillip Schofield ‘removed from Prince’s Trust website as ambassador’ following This Morning scandal

The Prince’s Trust was founded by King Charles in 1976 to help disadvantaged people under 30 in the UK

Jodie Marsh hilariously responds to old Phillip Schofield diss

19:30 , Inga Parkel

Jodie Marsh has belatedly responded to an old 2016 tweet from Phillip Schofield. Years ago, the disgraced presenter dissed the TV personality, writing: “Next time I'll certainly check with @JodieMarsh that it's ok to ask the questions she was booked to talk about!”

Now, Marsh has finally used the timing of Schofield’s recent scandals and ITV exit to her advantage.

“Unfortunately for you Phil there won’t be a next time. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer man,” she tweeted on Monday (29 May).

This Morning viewers spot Dermot O’Leary’s subtle reference to Phillip Schofield scandal

19:01 , Roisin O'Connor

O’Leary and Alison Hammond are hosting the ITV show after Schofield admitted to “unwise” but “not illegal” affair with much younger colleague.

This Morning viewers spot subtle nod to Phillip Schofield scandal

The celebrities weighing in on Phillip Schofield’s This Morning and ITV exit

18:01 , Roisin O'Connor

The British TV world has been rocked by Phillip Schofield’s departure from ITV, the broadcaster he has worked at for more than two decades.

Schofield, who presented the ITV daytime show This Morning with Holly Willoughby, announced his departure from the series earlier this month amid reports of a behind-the-scenes “feud” between him and Willoughby.

Then on Friday 26 May, the presenter, 61, announced he was quitting ITV altogether after admitting he’d had an “unwise” but “not illegal” affair with a much younger colleague on the show and lied about it to his employers at ITV, his colleagues and friends, his agents, the media and the public.

A number of TV personalities and celebrities have given their thoughts on Schofield’s shock exit, reports Louis Chilton and Ellie Harrison:

The celebrities who have weighed in on Phillip Schofield’s This Morning and ITV exit

Phillip Schofield’s statement in full addressing ‘This Morning’ affair scandal

17:31 , Roisin O'Connor

Phillip Schofield admitted to “lying” about an affair with a This Morning employee in lengthy statement issued on Friday 26 May.

Less than one week after he quit This Morning, Schofield was dropped by his agents and announced he has formally cut ties with ITV after more than 20 years.

Read the TV star’s statement in full below:

Read Phillip Schofield’s full statement addressing ‘This Morning’ scandal

Eamonn Holmes accuses ex-colleague Phillip Schofield of ‘toxicity’ and ITV of ‘cover-up’

17:01 , Roisin O'Connor

Eamonn Holmes has accused Phillip Schofield of “toxicity” amid the furore over the culture on ITV’s This Morning programme.

Schofield, 61, resigned from ITV on Friday 26 May and was dropped by his talent agency YMU after admitting to an “unwise, but not illegal” affair with a young male colleague on This Morning.

In the wake of his resignation, some former This Morning employees have come out to criticise the “toxic” culture at the broadcaster:

Eamonn Holmes accuses Phillip Schofield of ‘toxicity’ and ITV of ‘cover-up’

Everything we know about Eamonn Holmes and Phillip Schofield’s ‘feud’

16:31 , Roisin O'Connor

Everything we know about Eamonn Holmes and Phillip Schofield’s ‘feud’

Phillip Schofield lashes out at ‘people with grudges’ in first Instagram post since affair scandal

16:01 , Roisin O'Connor

Phillip Schofield has issued a blunt statement in response to critics after he quit This Morning.

He wrote: “Now I no longer work on @thismorning I am free to say this. I hope you have noticed that it’s the same handful of people with a grudge against me or the show who seem to have the loudest voice.

This Morning IS the best show to work on, with the best people. In all the years I worked there there was no toxicity. You can listen to those persistently loud voices if you like.

“But the thousands of guests over the years, thousands of staff and crew, hundreds of presenters and contributors all know, it IS a family of wonderful, talented, kind, hard working people.”

Phillip Schofield lashes out at ‘people with grudges’ in new Instagram post

Eamonn Holmes tells ‘delusional’ Schofield: ‘If you’re looking for a fight, you’ve picked the wrong person’

15:30 , Roisin O'Connor

Full story:

Eamonn Holmes hits out at ‘delusional’ Phillip Schofield in explosive message

Dr Ranj Singh accuses This Morning of ‘toxic culture’ as Schofield scandal grows

14:56 , Roisin O'Connor

Former This Morning mainstay Dr Ranj Singh has accused the programme of having a “toxic culture” as ITV is engulfed by the controversy surrounding Phillip Schofield’s affair.

The health expert, who appeared on the daytime TV show for 10 years, said he was “increasingly worried” about things that were happening on the programme and how people were being treated.

He claims that after he raised these concerns with top bosses at ITV he was “managed out” and has not appeared on This Morning since then.

Dr Ranj Singh accuses This Morning of ‘toxic culture’ as Schofield scandal grows

Watch: Watch Phillip Schofield's final sign off from This Morning

14:30 , Peony Hirwani

Watch: Phillip Schofield's first appearance on This Morning in 1988

14:10 , Peony Hirwani

ITV denies ‘This Morning’ set to be axed amid Schofield scandal

13:50 , Peony Hirwani

This Morning broadcaster ITV has denied the show is about to be taken off air, after speculation over its fate following the Phillip Schofield controversy.

ITV denied reports in Sunday’s newspapers about the daytime show’s future, with a spokesperson commenting: “As we said on the record yesterday [Saturday], This Morning is not under review and there are no plans for the show to be axed. This Morning will return as normal tomorrow.”

Schofield, 61, resigned from ITV on Friday 26 May, as well as being dropped by his talent agency YMU, after admitting to an “unwise” but “not illegal” affair with a young male colleague on This Morning.

His former co-star Holly Willoughby issued a statement saying Schofield had previously denied that rumours of the affair were true, saying his admission was “very hurtful” and she was still processing the news.

Willoughby is currently on a two-week holiday and scheduled to return to This Morning on Monday 5 June.

Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary, who usually present the Friday edition of the programme, have been co-hosting in her absence.

Watch: Kim Woodburn criticises Holly Willoughby over Phillip Schofield feud

13:10 , Peony Hirwani

Piers Morgan empathises with Phillip Schofield

13:05 , Roisin O'Connor

Before Phillip Schofield completely resigned from ITV after confessing he had an affair with a much younger staffer, Piers Morgan said Schofield was “heartbroken” after leaving This Morning.

In a scathing op-ed for The Sun, Morgan empathised with the disgraced broadcaster, saying that “Phillip’s not the evil monster he’s being painted as, nor is he the angel his previously halo-clad reputation suggested”.

Read more:

Piers Morgan says Phillip Schofield is ‘heartbroken’ after leaving This Morning

Watch: Amanda Holden slams Phillip Schofield live on radio

12:50 , Peony Hirwani

ITV confirms it investigated Schofield in 2020

12:30 , Peony Hirwani

ITV has said it investigated “rumours of a relationship” between Phillip Schofield and a This Morning employee in 2020.

However, the channel said that both parties “repeatedly denied” the claims.

A spokesperson for ITV said on Saturday that the broadcaster was “not provided with, and did not find, any evidence of a relationship beyond hearsay and rumour” when it looked into the matter in 2020.

Author Lady Colin Campbell ‘celebrates the misfortunes of Phillip Schofield’

12:00 , Peony Hirwani

Author Lady Colin Campbell has admitted she’s “celebrating the demise of Phillip Schofield”.

In a video recording posted a few days ago, Campbell called Schofield’s resignation a “day of jubilation”.

She went on to call the disgraced TV presenter a “horrid human being”, a “hypocrite”, and a “phoney”.

ICYMI

11:30 , Peony Hirwani

Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammon stepped in to host Monday morning’s (29 May) episode of This Morning.

During the show, the duo appeared to reference claims of “toxicity” at the talk show, stating: “We all know we happen to be in the news at the moment and of course we appreciate that but just from both of us, the whole team here, the crew, the guys downstairs, we love making this show for all of you.”

Hammond added: “We really do and that’s exactly what we are going to do, we are going to continue to do that.”

Gyles Brandreth, who is in the studio to review the news stories of the day, said: “We are very happy to be here, can I say that as well?

“This is a happy place to work, I enjoy coming in here and have done since I began coming in. We are happy people in a happy place.”

Eamonn Holmes tells ‘delusional’ Schofield: ‘If you’re looking for a fight, you’ve picked the wrong person’

11:00 , Peony Hirwani

Eamonn Holmes has hit out at a “delusional” Instagram post from Phillip Schofield, after the presenter defended This Morning from claims the programme is “toxic”.

Read more:

Eamonn Holmes hits out at ‘delusional’ Phillip Schofield in explosive message

Holly and Phil don't know This Morning crew's names, says Eamonn Holmes

10:30 , Peony Hirwani

ICYM

10:00 , Peony Hirwani

Phillip Schofield admitted to “lying” about an affair with a much younger employee on This Morning in lengthy statement issued on Friday 26 May.

Read his statement in full here:

Read Phillip Schofield’s full statement addressing ‘This Morning’ scandal

Phillip Schofield dropped by agency after admitting affair with young staffer

09:30 , Peony Hirwani

Phillip Schofield has been dropped by the YMU group after admitting affair with a young staffer.

The agency’s CEO Mery Bekhait said: “Honesty and integrity are core values for YMU’s whole business, defining everything we do. Talent management is a relationship based entirely on trust.

“This week, we have learned important new information about our client Phillip Schofield. These facts contradicted what Phillip had previously told YMU, as well as the external advisors we had brought in to support him.

As a result, on Thursday we agreed to part company with Phillip, with immediate effect.”

Watch Phillip Schofield's final sign off from This Morning

09:00 , Peony Hirwani

Watch: Amanda Holden slams Phillip Schofield live on radio

08:30 , Peony Hirwani

Everything we know about Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield’s ‘fall-out’

07:30 , Peony Hirwani

Everything we know about the Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby ‘fall-out’

ITV addresses speculation over This Morning’s fate after Phillip Schofield admits to affair

07:00 , Peony Hirwani

ITV has now denied rumours that This Morning could be taken off air due to the ongoing Phillip Schofield scandal.

The series returned as normal on Monday (29 May) with Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary stepping in to host while Holly Willoughby remains on half-term break. Willoughby will return on 5 June.

 (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
(Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

ITV addresses speculation over This Morning’s fate after Phillip Schofield resigns

Broadcaster is under scrutiny after former presenter admitted he lied about his relationship with ITV colleague

Eamonn Holmes accuses ex-colleague Phillip Schofield of ‘toxicity’ and ITV of ‘cover-up’

06:30 , Peony Hirwani

Eamonn Holmes has accused Phillip Schofield of “toxicity” amid the furore over the culture on ITV’s This Morning programme.

Schofield, 61, resigned from ITV on Friday and was dropped by his talent agency YMU after admitting to an “unwise, but not illegal” affair with a young male colleague on This Morning.

In the wake of his resignation, some former This Morning employees have come out to criticise the “toxic” culture at the broadcaster.

In a post on Instagram on Monday, Schofield hit back at the critics, saying that there was “no toxicity” on This Morning. “I hope you have noticed that it’s the same handful of people with a grudge against me or the show who seem to have the loudest voice,” he wrote.

Referring to Schofield’s comments in an interview on GB News on Monday, Holmes accused Schofield himself of “toxicity”.

Read more:

Eamonn Holmes accuses Phillip Schofield of ‘toxicity’ and ITV of ‘cover-up’

Eamonn Holmes tells ‘delusional’ Schofield: ‘If you’re looking for a fight, you’ve picked the wrong person’

06:00 , Peony Hirwani

Eamonn Holmes has hit out at a “delusional” Instagram post from Phillip Schofield, after the presenter defended This Morning from claims the programme is “toxic”.

Read more:

Eamonn Holmes hits out at ‘delusional’ Phillip Schofield in explosive message

Phillip Schofield lashes out at ‘people with grudges’ in first Instagram post since affair scandal

05:30 , Peony Hirwani

Phillip Schofield has issued a blunt statement in response to critics after he quit This Morning.

Last week, Schofield confessed that he’d had an “unwise” but not “illegal” affair with a much younger colleague on the programme.

The news came shortly after he resigned from the talk show amid rumours of a feud with his co-host Holly Willoughby. He has now resigned from ITV altogether.

The 61-year-old has since hit back at critics in a post shared on Instagram.

Read more:

Phillip Schofield lashes out at ‘people with grudges’ in new Instagram post

Ed Balls has said people in power who work with young people must take ‘extra responsibility'

05:00 , Inga Parkel

Speaking on Monday’s episode (29 May) of Good Morning Britain, Ed Balls said: “There are certain professions, politics is one, television the same, where very powerful people work with young people all the time in a very intensive way. But that means an extra responsibility.”

Ed added: “And our society’s changed, even compared to when I was in politics. Now politics is dealing with scandals and the abuse of power in the workplace which were never even talked about [before].”

According to the latest report by The Mail on Sunday, Schofield’s former colleague was allegedly just 15 when they met at a talk the TV presenter was giving at a theatre school, while Schofield was in his late forties. Lawyers representing Schofield confirmed to the Evening Standard that he met the boy when he was 15, but said the affair began after he started working at ITV, after he turned 18.

Former Labour minister Ed Balls (ITV / Good Morning Britain)
Former Labour minister Ed Balls (ITV / Good Morning Britain)

Piers Morgan weighs in on the ‘This Morning' scandal

04:36 , Peony Hirwani

Piers Morgan has compared the This Morning scandal to Quentin Tarantino’s 1992 crime film Reservoir Dogs.

“I fear we’re now entering the Reservoir Dogs phase of the This Morning scandal… and it could end up with a lot of corpsed careers,” he wrote on Twitter.

The broadcaster also shared a message calling for “a lot more questions” to be asked on the channel.

Morgan’s views come as Phillip Schofield shared a statement on Instagram to hit out at “loud voices” who have criticised him and This Morning for its “toxicity”.

Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary will be hosting This Morning all week

04:00 , Inga Parkel

Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary will be hosting This Morning all week for half term, ITV has confirmed.

Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary (ITV)
Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary (ITV)

Holly Willoughby is due to return to the ITV programme on 5 June.

This Morning viewers spot Dermot O’Leary’s subtle reference to Phillip Schofield scandal

03:00 , Inga Parkel

Earlier this morning, viewers spotted what they believed was a subtle nod to the Phillip Schofield scandal from Dermot O’Leary.

O’Leary and Alison Hammond fronted the talk show in Holly Willoughby’s absence.

 (ITV)
(ITV)

This Morning viewers spot subtle nod to Phillip Schofield scandal

O’Leary and Alison Hammond are hosting the ITV show after Schofield admitted to ‘unwise’ affair with much younger colleague

The celebrities who weighed in on Phillip Schofield’s This Morning and ITV exit

02:00 , Inga Parkel

From Piers Morgan to Eamonn Holmes, these are all the stars that have chimed in on the ongoing drama.

 (Getty)
(Getty)

The celebrities who have weighed in on Phillip Schofield’s This Morning and ITV exit

Presenter left the ITV show last week, and has since split from the broadcaster altogether

Piers Morgan empathises with Phillip Schofield

01:40 , Inga Parkel

Before Phillip Schofield completely resigned from ITV after confessing he had an affair with a much younger staffer, Piers Morgan said Schofield was “heartbroken” after leaving This Morning.

In a scathing op-ed for The Sun, Morgan empathised with the disgraced broadcaster, saying that “Phillip’s not the evil monster he’s being painted as, nor is he the angel his previously halo-clad reputation suggested”.

Read more:

Piers Morgan and Phillip Schofield (Getty Images)
Piers Morgan and Phillip Schofield (Getty Images)

Piers Morgan says Phillip Schofield is ‘heartbroken’ after leaving This Morning

Morgan expressed empathy for former This Morning presenter in scathing column

Author Lady Colin Campbell ‘celebrates the misfortunes of Phillip Schofield'

01:20 , Inga Parkel

Author Lady Colin Campbell has admitted she’s “celebrating the demise of Phillip Schofield”.

In a video recording posted a few days ago, Campbell called Schofield’s resignation a “day of jubilation”.

She went on to call the disgraced TV presenter a “horrid human being”, a “hypocrite”, and a “phoney”.

Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond reference claims of ‘toxicity’

01:00 , Inga Parkel

Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammon stepped in to host Monday morning’s (29 May) episode of This Morning.

During the show, the duo appeared to reference claims of “toxicity” at the talk show, stating: “We all know we happen to be in the news at the moment and of course we appreciate that but just from both of us, the whole team here, the crew, the guys downstairs, we love making this show for all of you.”

Hammond added: “We really do and that’s exactly what we are going to do, we are going to continue to do that.”

Gyles Brandreth, who is in the studio to review the news stories of the day, said: “We are very happy to be here, can I say that as well?

“This is a happy place to work, I enjoy coming in here and have done since I began coming in. We are happy people in a happy place.”

ITV confirms it investigated Schofield in 2020

Tuesday 30 May 2023 00:40 , Inga Parkel

ITV has said it investigated “rumours of a relationship” between Phillip Schofield and a This Morning employee in 2020.

However, the channel said that both parties “repeatedly denied” the claims.

A spokesperson for ITV said on Saturday that the broadcaster was “not provided with, and did not find, any evidence of a relationship beyond hearsay and rumour” when it looked into the matter in 2020.

Tuesday 30 May 2023 00:20 , Inga Parkel

Holly Willoughby has ‘questions to answer’, Nadine Dorries claims amid Phillip Schofield scandal

Tuesday 30 May 2023 00:00 , Inga Parkel

Nadine Dorries has called for a probe into the Phillip Schofield scandal, after the former This Morning presenter admitted to having an affair with a younger colleague.

The former culture secretary also said that Willoughby also has “questions to answer” over how the employee came to be hired by ITV.

Full story:

 (ITV/This Morning)
(ITV/This Morning)

Holly Willoughby has ‘questions to answer’, Nadine Dorries claims

Former culture secretary questioned what kind of safeguarding was in place for the ‘This Morning’ employee who had an affair with Schofield

Piers Morgan reacts to Phillip Schofield admission

Monday 29 May 2023 23:40 , Inga Parkel

Piers Morgan is one of many former ITV presenters who are reacting to the Phillip Schofield revelations.

Piers Morgan reacts to Phillip Schofield news (Twitter)
Piers Morgan reacts to Phillip Schofield news (Twitter)

Monday 29 May 2023 23:20 , Inga Parkel

Phillip Schofield dropped by agency after admitting affair with young staffer

Monday 29 May 2023 23:00 , Inga Parkel

Phillip Schofield has been dropped by the YMU group after admitting affair with a young staffer.

The agency’s CEO Mery Bekhait said: “Honesty and integrity are core values for YMU’s whole business, defining everything we do. Talent management is a relationship based entirely on trust.

“This week, we have learned important new information about our client Phillip Schofield. These facts contradicted what Phillip had previously told YMU, as well as the external advisors we had brought in to support him.

As a result, on Thursday we agreed to part company with Phillip, with immediate effect.”

This Morning employee ‘was 15’ when he met Phillip Schofield during school visit

Monday 29 May 2023 22:40 , Inga Parkel

The ITV employee with whom Phillip Schofield had an affair was allegedly 15 years old when he first met the disgraced This Morning presenter during a school visit.

Schofield, 61, has quit the broadcaster entirely after admitting that he lied to ITV, his colleagues, his lawyers and his agent over the nature of his relationship with a much younger male colleague.

Full story:

 (PA)
(PA)

This Morning employee ‘was 15’ when he met Phillip Schofield during school visit

‘This Morning’ presenter allegedly became involved in a ‘unwise but not illegal’ relationship with his colleague after he began working for ITV

Holly Willoughby breaks silence over Schofield affair scandal

Monday 29 May 2023 22:20 , Inga Parkel

Holly Willoughby has spoken out after Phillip Schofield’s dramatic confession over the affair he had with a younger colleague on This Morning.

 (PA Wire)
(PA Wire)

Holly Willoughby breaks silence over Phillip Schofield scandal

‘It’s taken time to process yesterday’s news,’ Willoughby wrote

ITV denies ‘This Morning’ set to be axed amid Schofield scandal

Monday 29 May 2023 22:00 , Inga Parkel

This Morning broadcaster ITV has denied the show is about to be taken off air, after speculation over its fate following the Phillip Schofield controversy.

ITV denied reports in Sunday’s newspapers about the daytime show’s future, with a spokesperson commenting: “As we said on the record yesterday [Saturday], This Morning is not under review and there are no plans for the show to be axed. This Morning will return as normal tomorrow.”

Schofield, 61, resigned from ITV on Friday 26 May, as well as being dropped by his talent agency YMU, after admitting to an “unwise” but “not illegal” affair with a young male colleague on This Morning.

His former co-star Holly Willoughby issued a statement saying Schofield had previously denied that rumours of the affair were true, saying his admission was “very hurtful” and she was still processing the news.

Willoughby is currently on a two-week holiday and scheduled to return to This Morning on Monday 5 June.

Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary, who usually present the Friday edition of the programme, have been co-hosting in her absence.

Eamonn Holmes hits out at Phillip Schofield for ‘lying’ to him and Ruth Langsford

Monday 29 May 2023 21:40 , Inga Parkel

Eamonn Holmes has reacted furiously to Phillip Schofield’s This Morning affair admission.

On Twitter, in response to a video showing Holmes supporting Schofield when he came out as gay live on This Morning in 2020, he claimed that Schofield had “lied” and “deceived” him and his wife, Ruth Langsford.

“One day I will tell the story,” he said, adding: “We had no issue with him being gay, only support. What transpired took us for fools. The man told us complete lies and we unfortunately believed him.”

 (ITV)
(ITV)

Eamonn Holmes hits out at Phillip Schofield for ‘lying’ to him and Ruth Langsford

‘The man told us complete lies and we unfortunately believed him,’ former ‘This Morning’ host said

ITV deeply disappointed with Phillip Schofield over affair ‘deceit’

Monday 29 May 2023 21:20 , Inga Parkel

A spokesperson for ITV said the broadcaster was “deeply disappointed” by the “admissions of deceit” made by Phillip Schofield after the presenter admitted to an affair with a young This Morning colleague.

Read more:

Phillip Schofield, as ITV confirmed that This Morning will be broadcast on Monday (Jonathan Brady/PA) (PA Wire)
Phillip Schofield, as ITV confirmed that This Morning will be broadcast on Monday (Jonathan Brady/PA) (PA Wire)

ITV reacts to Phillip Schofield’s This Morning affair ‘deceit’

‘Phillip made assurances to us which he now acknowledges were untrue,’ spokesperson said

Phillip Schofield lashes out at ‘people with grudges’ in first Instagram post since affair scandal

Monday 29 May 2023 21:00 , Inga Parkel

Phillip Schofield has issued a blunt statement in response to critics after he quit This Morning.

Last week, Schofield confessed that he had an “unwise” but not “illegal” affair with a much younger colleague on the programme.

The news came shortly after he resigned from the talk show amid rumours of a feud with his co-host Holly Willoughby. He has now resigned from ITV altogether.

The 61-year-old has since hit back at critics in a post shared on Instagram.

Read more:

Phillip Schofield (Ian West/PA) (PA Archive)
Phillip Schofield (Ian West/PA) (PA Archive)

Phillip Schofield lashes out at ‘people with grudges’ in new Instagram post

The latest breaking news, comment and features from The Independent.

Eamonn Holmes to reveal ‘real story about Phillip Schofield’ in only TV interview

Monday 29 May 2023 20:40 , Inga Parkel

Eamonn Holmes will appear on GB News tonight, from 9pm to 11pm, to reveal the “real story about Phillip Schofield, his young staff member lover, ITV’s cover up and toxic This Morning”.

This will be his “only interview” on the subject matter, according to broadcaster Dan Wootton.

ICYM

Monday 29 May 2023 20:20 , Inga Parkel

Phillip Schofield admitted to “lying” about an affair with a much younger employee on This Morning in lengthy statement issued on Friday 26 May.

Read his statement in full here:

 (Jeff Spicer/Getty)
(Jeff Spicer/Getty)

Read Phillip Schofield’s full statement addressing ‘This Morning’ scandal

‘I am painfully conscious that I have lied to my employers at ITV,’ he said

Phillip Schofield responds to critics after admitting affair with ‘This Morning’ colleague

Monday 29 May 2023 20:00 , Inga Parkel

After admitting having an affair with a younger colleague on This Morning, Phillip Schofield has issued a new statement responding to his critics.

“Now I no longer work on @thismorning I am free to say this,” he wrote on Instagram on Monday (29 May). “I hope you have noticed that it’s the same handful of people with a grudge against me or the show who seem to have the loudest voice. “This morning IS the best show to work on, with the best people. In all the years I worked there there was no toxicity. You can listen to those persistently loud voices if you like.

“But the thousands of guests over the years, thousands of staff and crew, hundreds of presenters and contributors all know, it IS a family of wonderful, talented, kind, hard working people.”

 (Phillip Schofield/Instagram)
(Phillip Schofield/Instagram)

The recent controversies that have plagued Phillip Schofield

Monday 29 May 2023 19:40 , Inga Parkel

 (Gareth Cattermole/Getty)
(Gareth Cattermole/Getty)

The recent controversies that have plagued Phillip Schofield

The veteran TV presenter, 61, announced he was stepping down from presenting the ITV talk show with ‘immediate effect’ last weekend.

Eamonn Holmes tells ‘delusional’ Schofield: ‘If you’re looking for a fight, you’ve picked the wrong person’

Monday 29 May 2023 19:20 , Annabel Nugent

Eamonn Holmes hit out at Phillip Schofield’s “delusional” Instagram post, also calling out his co-host Holly Willoughby in the process.

“Schofield has put out a delusional statement,” wrote the GB News broadcaster on Twitter. “Like Holly he puts it on Insta Stories so if it goes wrong there is no record after 24 hrs.”

Unlike a post shared to the Instagram grid, which will remain available to view publicly until it is deleted, anything shared on Instagram Stories will disappear after 24 hours.

Watch Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond open This Morning on Monday (29 May)

Monday 29 May 2023 19:00 , Annabel Nugent

Phillip Schofield says what he is ‘free to say’ now that he no longer works at This Morning

Monday 29 May 2023 18:40 , Annabel Nugent

In a statement posted to Instagram on Monday (29 May), Schofield said that it is “the same handful of people with a grudge against me or the show who seem to have the loudest voice”.

“Now I no longer work on @thismorning I am free to say this. I hope you have noticed that it’s the same handful of people with a grudge against me or the show who seem to have the loudest voice,” he wrote.

Schofield went on to call This Morning the “best show to work on”, adding there was “no toxicity” during his time working there.

Phillip Schofield lashes out at ‘people with grudges’ in new Instagram post

All the stars to weigh in on the Phillip Schofield scandal

Monday 29 May 2023 18:20 , Annabel Nugent

The British TV world has been rocked by Phillip Schofield’s departure from ITV, the broadcaster he has worked at for more than two decades.

A number of TV personalities and celebrities – from Nadine Dorries to Jack Whitehall – have given their thoughts on Schofield’s shock exit.

The celebrities who have weighed in on Phillip Schofield’s This Morning and ITV exit

Watch Phillip Schofield’s first appearance on This Morning in 1988

Monday 29 May 2023 18:00 , Annabel Nugent

ITV addresses speculation over This Morning’s fate

Monday 29 May 2023 17:40 , Annabel Nugent

Following Schofield’s admission that he had an “unwise” but “not illegal” affair with a younger male colleague on the This Morning – and the presenter’s subsequent resignation from ITV – there has been speculation about the future of the talk show.

ITV has now denied rumours that This Morning could be taken off air.

ITV addresses speculation over This Morning’s fate after Phillip Schofield resigns

Piers Morgan chimes in...

Monday 29 May 2023 17:20 , Annabel Nugent

The former Good Morning Britain presenter is among the list of high-profile figures to have weighed in on the ongoing off-screen drama.

Morgan used a Quentin Tarantino reference in his tweet on Monday morning (29 May) addressing the controversy. He predicted that This Morning is entering its “Reservoir Dogs phase”.

Reservoir Dogs is Tarantino’s 1992 violent crime-drama film, starring Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Steve Buscemi, Harvey Keitel, Chris Penn, and Lawrence Tierney.

Phillip Schofield has been dropped by his agent

Monday 29 May 2023 17:00 , Annabel Nugent

Phillip Schofield has been dropped by his agents at YMU group after admitting that he lied about a relationship he had with “a younger male colleague” at This Morning.

He has now resigned from ITV “with immediate effect” and has also pulled out of hosting the British Soap Awards in June.

Read Phillip Schofield’s statement in full

Monday 29 May 2023 16:40 , Annabel Nugent

On Friday (26 May), Phillip Schofield admitted to “lying” about an affair with a much younger employee on This Morning.

In a lengthy statement given to The Daily Mail, Schofield apologised to ITV, his colleagues, friends, agents, the media, and his family.

“I am painfully conscious that I have lied to my employers at ITV, to my colleagues and friends, to my agents, to the media and therefore the public and most importantly of all to my family. I am so very, very sorry, as I am for having been unfaithful to my wife,” he said.

Read the statement in full here...

Phillip Schofield quits ITV after presenter admits lying over affair

ICYMI

Monday 29 May 2023 16:20 , Annabel Nugent

Phillip Schofield issued a scathing statement to “people with grudges” against himself and This Morning earlier today.

The presenter posted on Instagram on Monday morning (29 May) to hit out at critics. Read the full statement here...

Phillip Schofield lashes out at ‘people with grudges’ in new Instagram post

What has Holly Willoughby said about Phillip Schofield’s affair?

Monday 29 May 2023 16:00 , Annabel Nugent

On Saturday (27 May), Willoughby spoke out about her former co-star’s affair with a much younger colleague on their programme.

Read up on what Willoughby said here...

The celebrities who weighed in on Phillip Schofield’s This Morning and ITV exit

Monday 29 May 2023 15:40 , Annabel Nugent

From Piers Morgan to Eamonn Holmes, these are all the stars that have chimed in on the ongoing drama.

The celebrities who have weighed in on Phillip Schofield’s This Morning and ITV exit

This Morning viewers spot Dermot O’Leary’s subtle reference to Phillip Schofield scandal

Monday 29 May 2023 15:20 , Annabel Nugent

Earlier this morning, viewers spotted what they believed was a subtle nod to the Phillip Schofield scandal from Dermot O’Leary.

O’Leary and Alison Hammond fronted the talk show in Holly Willoughby’s absence.

This Morning viewers spot subtle nod to Phillip Schofield scandal

Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary will be hosting This Morning all week

Monday 29 May 2023 14:59 , Annabel Nugent

Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary will be hosting This Morning all week for half term, ITV has confirmed.

Holly Willoughby is due to return to the ITV programme on 5 June.

Ed Balls has said people in power who work with young people must take ‘extra responsibility'

Monday 29 May 2023 14:30 , Annabel Nugent

Speaking on Monday’s episode (29 May) of Good Morning Britain, Ed Balls said: “There are certain professions, politics is one, television the same, where very powerful people work with young people all the time in a very intensive way. But that means an extra responsibility.”

Ed added: “And our society’s changed, even compared to when I was in politics. Now politics is dealing with scandals and the abuse of power in the workplace which were never even talked about [before].”

According to the latest report by The Mail on Sunday, Schofield’s former colleague was allegedly just 15 when they met at a talk the TV presenter was giving at a theatre school, while Schofield was in his late forties. Lawyers representing Schofield confirmed to the Evening Standard that he met the boy when he was 15, but said the affair began after he started working at ITV, after he turned 18.

Former Labour minister Ed Balls (ITV / Good Morning Britain)
Former Labour minister Ed Balls (ITV / Good Morning Britain)

What did Nadine Dorries say about the scandal?

Monday 29 May 2023 14:15 , Annabel Nugent

Speaking to the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg, Nadine Dorries said: “The fact that [Schofield] has made a rather grovelling apology to the Daily Mail in the form of an email... There seems to be this understanding that that’s it now and everything will move on and that’s not the case I’m afraid.”

“What it actually does is open up more questions as to what happened,” she continued. “We know that there were complaints lodged to ITV over a long period of time. What happened to those complaints? I think the editor of the programme, Martin Frizell, has some questions to answer himself.”

She added: “And I’m afraid so does Holly Willoughby. How did that young boy, so young, get a job at ITV? What were the processes involved? What was the safeguarding in place for someone so young at that age? What contact was first made? Who contacted who?”

According to the latest report by The Mail on Sunday, Schofield’s former colleague was allegedly just 15 when they met at a talk the TV presenter was giving at a theatre school, while Schofield was in his late forties.