Kevin Lygo has revealed he had a private conversation with Phillip Schofield moments before he came out as gay where he asked the former This Morning host if there was "anything he needed to know".
ITV boss Kevin Lygo is facing questions from MPs on the Culture, Media and Sport Committee about the broadcaster’s approach to safeguarding and complaint-handling after Phillip Schofield left as host of This Morning.
Dame Carolyn McCall, ITV CEO, revealed she first heard rumours about Phillip's affair with a younger colleague back in 2020 when the former presenter decided to come out as gay live on This Morning.
Recalling this time, Kevin explained he had spoken to Phillip to ask him about whether there was something prompting the presenter to come out.
On Wednesday, Kevin told the parliamentary committee: "When Philip decided he wanted to come out, the agents and Phillip contacted the head of daytime, the producer of the programme, and he said, ‘I’ve been thinking about this for a long time, I want to come out on air.’"
Kevin explained that after that discussion he was asked his opinion on Phillip’s wish to come out as gay live on air.
“I went down the next morning to to the studio to see Philip to see how he was and there were various people around and we discussed it," he continued.
“He was really agitated and nervous and I remember saying to him, ‘Look, you don't have to do this now if you don't want to, you don’t have to do it on TV, if you don't want to.’”
Kevin claimed Phillip insisted it wasn’t a “sudden decision” and “this is the moment” for him to come out.
“The ITV boss said: "Then there was a moment when we were alone and I said, ‘Look, don't worry about ITV supporting you through this it's fine by us if you want to do this but is there anything that you want to tell me or anything we should know that has prompted this or that you want to share with us now because it's fine, we just don't want to be…blindsided by it?’
“He absolutely categorically said, ‘No, there's nothing, this is just a private matter and I want to get it out there because I’ve been thinking about it for so long.’"
The session will cover ITV’s initial investigation into rumours regarding Schofield, the ITV-commissioned review into the facts by barrister Jane Mulcahy KC, the working culture on This Morning and other productions, as well as ITV’s use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and its whistleblowing policy.
The broadcaster’s approach to its duty of care, including support for those who have left the organisation, will also be discussed with the panel on Wednesday.
General counsel and company secretary Kyla Mullins was also questioned.
