Former This Morning host Phillip Schofield says he will be 'forever sorry' and 'deeply mortified' as he broke his silence after quitting ITV. The presenter left the broadcaster and was dropped by his label after admitting to an affair with a younger colleague.
However, in his first interview since releasing his statement, Phillip insisted he 'did not groom' the staff member he had an affair with, The Mirror reports. He spoke out to address rumours and said he did not lie to protect his career, rather to protect the man he had an affair with.
Phillip said: "I did not, I did not (groom him). There are accusations of all sorts of things. It never came across that way (an abuse of power) because we’d become mates. I don’t know about that.
“But of course I understand that there will be a massive judgment, but bearing in mind, I have never exercised that anywhere else. I assume somebody, somewhere, assumed something was going on, correctly, and didn’t say anything."
Phillip referenced a photograph of the man he later had an affair with at a drama school that the former This Morning presenter had visited. The presenter told The Sun he felt "massive guilt" over the affair and apologised to his former lover.
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He claimed to have not spoken to the former colleague since stepping down from This Morning but admitted to paying for his lawyers to "to independently work on his behalf". "I’m sorry. And I will forever be sorry. I will die sorry. I am so deeply mortified," Phillip added.
In the interview, Phillip insisted his six-month relationship with the runner started when the man was 20 and admitted he is still friends with his former colleague. Phillip explained his relationship with his younger colleague became more than just friends after a "consensual moment" in his dressing room in 2017.
He insisted their brief affair was not a relationship but admitted he was "struggling" with his sexuality at the time and the pair shared a moment "five or six times". The former This Morning host also apologised to Holly Willoughby for breaking-up their TV partnership and friendship as he confirmed the ex-presenting-duo no longer speak.
He admitted he lied to his former close friend and apologised for tainting her public image before explaining that their friendship broke down after his paedophile brother was convicted and imprisoned. Phillip stepped down from This Morning amid rumours of a "feud" with Holly but the former presenter shuts down this suggestion.
Phillip presented his final episode of This Morning on Thursday, May 18, with ITV confirming his immediate exit just two days later. Phillip subsequently parted ways from ITV and his management company after admitting to having an affair with a younger colleague.
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