Former ITV presenter Phillip Schofield has been pictured with his elderly mother Pat, comforting her after revealing that he had been axed from This Morning.
In the pictures, the mother-and-son can be seen on a bench as the former 61-year-old presenter puts his arm around his 87-year-old mother and holds her hand as he delivers the devastating news.
Phillip stepped down from This Morning after 21 years before subsequently parting ways with ITV and his management company following his revelation that he had an affair with a younger colleague.
The photos of Phillip and his mother Pat were taken on Friday, May 19 just one day after his final appearance on This Morning alongside Holly Willoughby.
Phillip had learnt from his manager of his immediate exit from This Morning on this day and rushed to Newquay, Cornwall to deliver the news to his mother before ITV released an official statement on his departure the next day.
Phillip and Pat drove from her house to their favourite fish and chip shop in the town centre where the enjoyed a meal before visiting Pentire Headland on a cliff.
The former ITV presenter, who later confessed to having an affair with a younger colleague, aged 20, was wearing a white hoodie and jeans as he delivered the news.
Phillip had driven from London to support his mother as his brother Timothy was being sentenced on that Friday for child-sex offences.
Last week, Phillip opened up on his affair and his This Morning exit as he explained he received the news just moments before telling his mother.
“I picked my mum up and she went in to get the fish and chips — and while she was getting them, my phone rang," he explained.
“It was my then manager saying, ‘Mate, I am so sorry, it has become too loud for ITV. You will have to step down from This Morning.' And she arrived in the car. She said to me before I arrived, ‘You’re not coming down with any bad news are you?'"
“She sat in the car and she was all happy to see me, and then she said, ‘Oh, your face has changed.' I said, ‘Let’s go on to the headland.' And I had to tell her," he told The Sun.
Meanwhile, This Morning editor Martin Frizell has spoken out on the scandal as he denied claims of "toxicity" behind-the-scenes on the programme.
Speaking to a Sky News reporter, Martin said: "There's lots of questions to answer but there's a KC appointed for an external review and anything we may say now could be prejudicial, so I'd rather not.
"There will be lots of time once it's all over to go through who did what, when, why, but I'd rather not just now, thanks."
Confirming he was not concerned about the review, he continued: "No, we're looking forward to speaking to the KC, she's very learned. She'll get to the bottom of the questions to be answered, I'm sure she will find those answers.
"All I want to say is I working with a fantastic team of mainly women, many mums, a lot of them concerned for their jobs although we've told them they don't need to be.
"This is the 23rd day now of being on the front page and it's tiring. They worked all through covid brilliantly, they worked all through this putting a programme out [...] and I just think they need a bit of respite now."
When asked about whether there is a toxic culture at This Morning, he added: "I think you've got to read between the lines. There's some scores being settled."
Former This Morning stars Eamonn Holmes and Dr Ranj have both claimed there is a "toxicity" on set of This Morning with Eamonn going one step forward and claiming ITV bosses "covered-up" Phillip's affair.
Hitting out at those claims, Phillip told BBC's Amol Rajan: "I have never abused my power anywhere, I am not a bully...I don't lord it around TV studios, everyone is a friend...I am not rude on the studio floor, I don't bully people, I don't lord it around, we are all a very very on one-level team."
"There is no toxicity, there is no bullying, there is no discrimination at This Morning," he added.
Phillip addressed his mental health struggles in the interview and praised his daughters, Molly and Ruby, for their support.
"If my girls hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t be here. Because I don’t see a future. How much do you want a man to take – and are you truly only happy when he’s dead? This is how Caroline Flack felt and it didn’t stop," he said.
"My daughters saved my life...they haven't left me for a moment. They have been by my side every moment because they are scared to let me out of their sight...if my girls hadn't been there, I wouldn't be here because I don't see a future," Phillip remarked.
After the interview, Caroline's mum, Christine shared a message of support to Phillip on Newsnight.
She said: "I hate the thought that Philip and this young man are going through such an awful time. It's bad enough when it's in private, but when it's in every single paper and first thing on the news. It's just ridiculous. Wait to see what happens. Let's hope for the best. I send my regard to Philip and the young lad, and hope they get over this. Don't do anything silly. You've got your daughters, you've got your friends."
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