Family Fortunes viewers are highlighting an “unfortunate” answer that was featured in the latest episode.
The ITV game show aired on Saturday (20 May), and saw host Gino D’Acampo ask contestants to answer the prompt: “Someone who appears on the TV show This Morning”.
One of the contestants selected Phillip Schofield as an answer, and he was listed as the second-most-popular guess behind Holly Willoughby.
However, the episode came hours after Schofield announced he was “stepping down” from the ITV daytime show, a week after it was reported he had fallen out with Willoughby, his co-host.
He left the show with immediate effect, meaning his last episode was last Thursday (18 May).
Viewers were quick to step in to point out the awkwardness surrounding the airing of the question.
TV Zone wrote on Twitter: “ITV couldn’t have chosen a better weekend to air this episode if they tried!”
@adamcobb added: “Unfortunate choice of Family Fortunes category tonight,” while @I_Am_KenBarlow wrote: “Oooops. This is a badly timed question! Will they accept Phillip Schofield as an answer?”
Schofield said in his statement he had agreed to quit due to the controversy, writing: “Throughout my career in TV – including the very difficult last few days – I have always done my best to be honourable and kind. So I have agreed to step down from This Morning with immediate effect, in the hope that the show can move forward to a bright future.”
Willoughby, who is said to have given Schofield “an ultimatum”, is taking a break from the show, and Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary, who usually present the Friday episode, will temporarily step in as the main hosts.
When Willoughby returns, she will be joined by a member of “the This Morning family” until Schofield’s full-time replacement is decided.
