Phillip Schofield has hit back at claims made by former This Morning regular Ranj Singh about ITV's alleged "toxic culture". The resident doctor, who's real name is Ranjit Singh, worked on the show alongside Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby on the ITV show since 2016. He says he put a formal complaint in about a bully on the set when he left the ITV show over a year ago. Following the recent high profile departure of Schofield from the broadcaster, Dr Ranj took to Twitter to shed light on why he ultimately decided to leave the broadcaster.
In a statement, he said: "I was on the show for ten years and I genuinely loved and valued working there. However, over time, I grew increasingly worried about how things were behind-the-scenes and how people, including myself were being treated.
"I didn't know the truth about what was going on with Phillip, but I do know the issues with This Morning go far beyond him.
"It takes more than one person to create a culture. So I did what I thought was right and, as ITV confirmed last night, I raised my concerns about Martin Frizell's behaviour (and the environment at This Morning) with Emma Gormley - especially given that my job is to look after people's wellbeing, and I had been heavily involved in diversity, anti-bullying, and mental health projects across the channel. "But then I found myself being used less and less."
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Ranj continued on in his lengthy statement: "I even took my concerns directly to the top of ITV. The culture at This Morning had become toxic, no longer aligned with ITV values , and I felt like because I whistle-blew I was managed out.
"But as history and experience have taught us, things like bullying and discrimination are very hard to prove, particularly in hindsight and when the 'people in power' control the narrative. As we've seen, no review or investigation is foolproof.
"Still, I was assured that certain things were going to be addressed and changes made. I haven't worked on the show since... and I'm not the only one who has spoken up or experienced similar.
"That was two years ago, and frankly, it still hurts. The whole process was pretty heartbreaking and even affected my mental health.
"But I'm happy to say that I've found my feet again, know my worth and have found my tribe."
He finished off his statement by adding: "So my general message to everyone is: look around you. Is this the place you want to be? Do you feel valued? Are you thriving or just surviving? Do you need to speak up? "These are lesson I have learned my from time in the industry. I say it all with respect, kindness, and a desire to make things better.
"There are some good people in TV, but we need to be brave and stand up to those who aren't. Even if it's scary as hell, we have to do the right thing, otherwise nothing will change.
"I sincerely hope something good comes from this."
Following Ranj's statement, an ITV spokesperson told The Mirror: "We are sorry to read Dr Ranj’s post today.
"At ITV we are fully committed to providing every opportunity for anyone who works with us to raise any concern or comments they may have.
“Following a complaint made by Dr Ranj, we appointed an external and independent advisor to carry out a review. This external review found no evidence of bullying or discrimination."
And now Phillip Schofield has spoken out about the claims made by Dr Ranj, branding his actions as "stabbing him" in the back after the pair shared a "lovely" final meeting.
Speaking about the wider feedback ITV has received from some former colleagues, he said: "If I have crossed you, and I know a couple of them. There are people who have come out against the show because they weren’t asked to go back on it. That’s not my choice. How vile to say we lorded it in that place. "I adore those people. And I think to suggest anything otherwise is an agenda I don’t understand."
Schofield said: "There is categorically no toxicity [at This Morning] and the only people who create that are the people who have their own toxicity.
"I don't know what is the reason to stab something that's been really good to you," he told The Sun.
He added: "There are people who have come out against the show because they weren’t asked to go back on it. That’s not my choice. How vile to say we lorded it in that place."
Phillip went on to say he "adored" the people he worked with and to suggest otherwise is "an agenda" he doesn't understand.
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