'Hurt' Holly Willoughby addresses Phillip Schofield's…

'Hurt' Holly Willoughby addresses Phillip Schofield's 'unwise but not illegal' affair with 'much younger' ITV employee

Holly Willoughby has spoken out after Phillip Schofield admitted to having an affair with a 'much younger' ITV employee and then lying about it. In an Instagram post on Saturday, May 27, Phil's former This Morning co-star said she had previously asked him 'directly' if reports of the relationship were true.

She wrote: “It’s taken time to process yesterday’s news. When reports of this relationship first surfaced, I asked Phil directly if this was true and was told it was not. It’s been very hurtful to now find out that this was a lie.”

The post came before Schofield admitted to an 'unwise, but not illegal' affair with a younger male colleague on This Morning. He resigned from ITV and has parted company with his talent agency, meaning he will no longer host the British Soap Awards or Dancing on Ice.

A spokesperson for ITV said the broadcaster was 'deeply disappointed' by the 'admissions of deceit' made by Schofield after the presenter admitted to the affair in a statement published by the Daily Mail on Friday. The veteran TV presenter, 61, said the relationship began while he was still with his wife Stephanie, adding he was 'very, very sorry' for having been unfaithful to her.

He announced he was stepping down from presenting This Morning with 'immediate effect' last weekend, while co-presenter Holly Willoughby would remain on the programme. Schofield, who also co-hosted Dancing On Ice with Willoughby, said he would also step down from presenting the British Soap Awards, his last public commitment.

Holly issued an update about Phil via Instagram (ITV)

Phillip said his recent departure from This Morning was 'unrelated' to that relationship, but had 'fuelled speculation and raised questions', which he said had been 'impacting' the person involved.

In a statement, he added: "When I chose to come out I did so entirely for my own wellbeing. Nobody 'forced' me out. Neither I nor anyone else, to my knowledge, has ever issued an injunction, super or otherwise, about my relationship with this colleague, he was never moved on or sacked by or because of me.

"In an effort to protect my ex-colleague I haven't been truthful about the relationship. But my recent, unrelated, departure from This Morning fuelled speculation and raised questions which have been impacting him, so for his sake it is important for me to be honest now.

"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."

Holly's statement comes less than a week after Phil announced he was stepping away from ITV, as speculation grew surrounding a rift between the long-time presenting duo.

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