Since making his debut on This Morning in 2002, Phillip Schofield has been a staple of daytime TV.
Fronting the show with Fern Britton before helping Holly Willoughby get the gig, many thought the father-of-two, 61, had permanent national treasure status.
However, on Friday he finally admitted he'd had an affair with a younger colleague on This Morning, which he says was not 'illegal, but unwise' and quit ITV.
Phil has apologised to his family, ITV and his agency for the betrayal, but as his career lies in ruins, many are asking how it all went so wrong for the Broom Cupboard star.
Phil first meets younger lover
Phillip first met the male colleague he later had an affair with during a visit to the 15-year-old’s school when he was in his 40s.
The former This Morning presenter is said to have been invited to give a talk at a theatre school in the North West of England in 2011 by a friend, who also knew the drama student.
According to The Mail on Sunday, Schofield came across as “enthusiastic, encouraging and generous with his time”.
The schoolboy asked the This Morning presenter for a job, with Schofield promising to arrange an interview at an appropriate time.
They exchange first tweets
In the same year, 2011, Phil's future colleague made his first Twitter account, tweeting the presenter: "@Schofe hey phillip, thanks for following me, how are you?" There was no reply from Phil.
In 2014, the teenager made another Twitter account after turning 18. Phil tweeted him, saying: "Hey, welcome back! How’s the acting going? Got the big break yet? "
The drama student appears to have replied, but his account is private.
A few minutes later Phil posted another tweet saying: "all good, see you on the @itvthismorning sofa soon then."
Runner gets job on This Morning
In April 2016, the student started working as a runner on This Morning aged 20.
He'd been previously visited the show where he met Holly and Phil for a tour of the studio.
Pictures of the trio sitting on the This Morning sofa were shared as the runner thanked Phil for 'teaching him so much'.
He also interviewed the presenter in 2015 about his time fronting the award-winning programme, which he 'loves so much'.
Runner pictured with Holly and her husband Dan outside the NTAs
In January 2020, the runner was pictured having a brief conversation with Holly outside the NTAs.
The This Morning star was walking alongside husband Dan Baldwin when Phillip's former lover walked up to them.
Phillip was also pictured nearby with wife Stephanie Lowe as the pair left the glitzy event.
Phil comes out as gay
Phil tearfully came out on national television during a This Morning broadcast on 8 February 2020.
Addressing the nation with Holly by his side, he said: "With the strength and support of my wife and my daughters, I have been coming to terms with the fact that I am gay.
"This is something that has caused many heart-breaking conversations at home.
"I have been married to Steph for nearly 27 years, and we have two beautiful grown-up daughters, Molly and Ruby.
"My family have held me so close: they have tried to cheer me up, to smother me with kindness and love, despite their own confusion, yet still I can't sleep and there have been some very dark moments."
Timothy Schofield charged with child sex offences
In May this year, Phil's brother Timothy Schofield was convicted of three counts of causing a child to watch sexual activity, three of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, three of causing a child to engage in sexual activity and two of sexual activity with a child.
He was later sentenced to 12 years in prison after Phil declared he 'no longer had a brother'.
Phil's reported feud with Holly
Holly is said to have been kept in the dark about Tim's trial, made worse, sources say be Phil's impromptu statement about their friendship, saying things 'hadn't been easy between them'.
Their formerly firm friendship was said to be floundering after reports of a bitter rift were leaked.
They carried on presenting the show despite the daily drama unfolding on social media, but viewers - and our body language expert- picked up on the tension between them.
Phil quits This Morning
After days of awkwardness on air with Holly, Phil sensationally quit the show 'he loves' on May 20.
In a statement, he said: "I have always been proud to cover fascinating stories on This Morning. But recently, This Morning itself has become the story.
"Throughout my career in TV – including the very difficult last few days – I have always done my best to be honourable and kind.
"I understand that ITV has decided the current situation can’t go on, and I want to do what I can to protect the show that I love.
"So I have agreed to step down from This Morning with immediate effect, in the hope that the show can move forward to a bright future."
Phil admits affair with younger colleague
On Friday, Phil confessed he had engaged in a romantic affair with a younger man while married to his wife, Stephanie Lowe.
Claiming the “consensual on-off relationship” was “unwise, but not illegal”, he said he was “very sorry” for the affair.
"I did have a consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague at This Morning", he said
"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."
Holly says Phil lied to her about affair
Holly kept quiet after Phil's bombshell statement after 'taking time to process' his shock announcement.
However, on Saturday, she said: "It has taken time to process yesterday's news.
"When reports of this relationship first surfaced, I asked Phil directly if this was true and was told it was not.
"It's been very hurtful to now find out that this was a lie."
