Phillip Schofield sensationally parted ways with This Moring after two decades after he admitted lying to ITV bosses and colleagues about an affair with a 'younger male colleague'.
The former ITV star parted ways with This Morning after reports speculated over a feud between himself and Holly Willoughby, who claims she was also lied to. Phillip, 62, has now come clean about the affair he had with a younger colleague on This Morning.
The Mirror reports that a move Phillip initially made to help his ex has come back to bite him following the recent media scrutiny surrounding the relationship. Phil reportedly hired top law firm Mishcon de Reya to represent his former partner, who is now in his mid-20s.
The Mail on Sunday reported that Schofield hired the law firm "presumably believing that" his ex "would keep quiet". However, the ex - who has not been publicly named - reportedly said that although he feared going public with the relationship, he was tired of lying.
This reportedly caused Phillip to confess the true nature of the relationship to his management company of 35 years, prior to going public with his own statement.
ITV also released a statement on Saturday confirming they had investigated the allegations in 2020. The broadcaster told the Mirror it was "not provided with, and did not find, any evidence of a relationship beyond hearsay and rumour".
"ITV can confirm that when rumours of a relationship between Phillip Schofield and an employee of ITV first began to circulate in early 2020 ITV investigated", the statement read. "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."
Schofield admitted the affair on Friday and described the relationship as 'unwise, but not illegal'. He said: "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. Contrary to speculation, whilst I met the man when he was a teenager and was asked to help him to get into television, it was only after he started to work on the show that it became more than just a friendship.
"That relationship was unwise, but not illegal. It is now over."
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