Dr Ranj Singh has said that speaking out about alleged “bullying and discrimination” on This Morning was “the right thing to do”.
The medic, who was the ITV flagship show’s resident doctor, explained that his comments about the show’s culture were not about Phillip Schofield “at all” but more about ensuring the wellbeing of those on and behind the camera.
The TV doctor left the programme two years ago and released a statement clarifying why he had left shortly after Schofield’s own ITV departure in the wake of his secret affair revelations.
In the statement, he hit out at a “toxic” culture, saying he raised concerns while working at ITV – and afterwards felt like he was “managed out” for whistleblowing.
At the Attitude Pride Awards 2023, Dr Ranj discussed the statement with media, including The Standard, and said: “I did everything I was supposed to do and everything I believed was the right thing to do.
“Hopefully, some good will come out of this. That was the key thing behind it. It wasn’t about me. It wasn’t about Phillip [Schofield] at all. I’ve made no comment on that situation.
“My point was about creating a better working environment for everybody and hopefully something good will come of it.
When asked what he hopes would change, he said: “Generally speaking, I think workplaces need to be good for people’s wellbeing.
“We all work in pressurised areas, I work in the NHS, but it’s really important that we look after our staff and employees to get the best out of them.
“That’s all it is, it’s just basic duty of care to everyone.”
Responding to question about whether he would ever make a return to This Morning, Dr Ranj added: “I work on Morning Live now which gets double the ratings.”
In his original statement, the TV medic said he had thought “long and hard” about posting about his departure from This Morning, but felt the need to “clarify some things”.
He said he had “genuinely loved and valued” working at ITV but had become “increasingly worried about how things were behind-the-scenes and how people, including myself, were being treated.”
“I even took my concerns directly to the top of ITV: the culture at This Morning had become toxic, no longer aligned with ITV values, and I felt like because I whistle-blew I was managed out,” he said.
“The whole process was heart-breaking and even affected my mental health. But I’m happy to say I’ve found my feet again, know my worth and have found my tribe…
“There are some good people in TV, but we need to be brave and stand up to those who aren’t. Even if it’s scary as hell, we have to do the right thing otherwise nothing will change.”
A letter written by ITV boss Dame Carolyn McCall to culture secretary Lucy Frazer, DCMS Committee chair Dame Caroline Dinenage and Ofcom’s chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes, said an external review conducted following Dr Ranj’s complaint had found “no evidence of bullying or discrimination”.
