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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Amy Denman

Phillip Schofield dealt another blow as he's dropped by charity as patron

Phillip Schofield has been dropped as a patron for the charity Shooting Star Hospices, the charity have confirmed.

The former This Morning star, 61, has not been an 'active' patron since 2019 – with the charity now deciding to announce he is no longer a patron.

He is no longer listed on the charity's website as a patron, as Phil is understood to have been removed in May.

However, the charity insisted Phil's recent admission he had an affair with a younger ITV employee was not linked to the move.

A spokesperson for Shooting Star Children's Hospices said: "Phillip Schofield has not been an active patron since 2019 and therefore his patronage was formally ended earlier this year."

The charity announced Phillip is no longer a patron – but it isn't linked to his recent affair admission (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

They added to SurreyLive: "The decision to stand down Phillip was part of our review of some of our longer-term inactive relationships."

A representative for Phillip declined to comment when contacted by the Mirror.

Phillip used to host an annual clay pigeon shoot to support the charity with celebrity pals Holly Willoughby and Ant and Dec in attendance in 2016.

The TV star was previously described by Shooting Star Children's Hospice as an "awesome patron".

He had supported the charity for roughly two decades.

He previously said of the charity: "I've known the charity for so long I remember having the plans for one of the hospices on my kitchen table. And if you visit, you realise it's not a place of sadness - it's a place of joy and celebration, and a place of happiness for families in those final hours, days or months.

"It's awful to think anyone has to step through those doors but I'm so grateful the angels that work at Shooting Star Chase are on the other side. The charity do an utterly incredible job and that's why I'm proud to be involved."

The past few weeks have seen Phillip Schofield step back from This Morning amid claims of a feud between himself and Holly, 42.

He later admitted to having an affair with a younger ITV employee and stepped away from ITV completely while he was also dropped from his talent agent YMU.

Phil's admission about the affair, which can be read in full here, was shared with the Daily Mail and read: "The first thing I want to say is: I am deeply sorry for having lied to them, and to many others about a relationship that I had with someone working on This Morning. I did have a consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague at This Morning.

Phil recently admitted an affair with a younger ITV employee (Twitter)

"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...

"I have therefore decided to step down from the British Soap Awards, my last public commitment, and am resigning from ITV with immediate effect expressing my immense gratitude to them for all the amazing opportunities that they have given me.

"I will reflect on my very bad judgement in both participating in the relationship and then lying about it."

Mary Bekhait, the Group CEO of YMU Group, said: "Honesty and integrity are core values for YMU's whole business, defining everything we do. Talent management is a relationship based entirely on trust.

"This week, we have learned important new information about our client Phillip Schofield. These facts contradicted what Phillip had previously told YMU, as well as the external advisors we had brought in to support him. As a result, on Thursday we agreed to part company with Phillip, with immediate effect."

After the news of Phillip's affair was announced, ITV confirmed they had investigated 'rumours of a relationship' between the former This Morning host and a younger colleague.

Phillip has quit ITV altogether (ITV)

A spokesperson told the Mirror: "When rumours of a relationship between Phillip Schofield and an employee of ITV first began to circulate in early 2020 ITV investigated.

"Both parties were questioned and both categorically and repeatedly denied the rumours as did Phillip's then agency YMU.

"In addition, ITV spoke to a number of people who worked on This Morning and were not provided with, and did not find, any evidence of a relationship beyond hearsay and rumour.

"Phillip’s statement yesterday reveals that he lied to people at ITV, from senior management to fellow presenters, to YMU, to the media and to others over this relationship."

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