Controversy surrounding Phillip Schofield has been swirling since the presenter stepped down from This Morning.
ITV announced on May 20, that Phillip would be leaving the show, "After more than 20 years on the This Morning sofa, Phillip Schofield has stepped back from ITV’s flagship morning show having presented his last episode on Thursday 18 May."
The presenter was then dropped by his agency YMU. The agency’s CEO Mery Bekhait 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.”
It was then revealed on May 26, that Phillip had allegedly been having an affair with a young staff member on This Morning who Philip reportedly met when the staff member was just 15. Phillip admitted the affair in a statement published by the Daily Mail but denied anything illegal had taken place.
Phillip Schofield's full statement about his affair
Philip told the Daily Mail, “I am making this statement via the Daily Mail to whom I have already apologized personally for misleading, through my lawyer who I also misled, about a story which they wanted to write about me a few days ago."
“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."
“When I chose to come out I did so entirely for my own wellbeing. Nobody ‘forced’ me out. Neither I nor anyone else, to my knowledge, has ever issued an injunction, super or otherwise, about my relationship with this colleague, he was never moved on or sacked by or because of me.‘In an effort to protect my ex-colleague, I haven’t been truthful about the relationship. But my recent, unrelated, departure from This Morning fuelled speculation and raised questions which have been impacting him, so for his sake, it is important for me to be honest now."
“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."
“To protect his privacy, I am not naming this individual and my deepest wish is that both he and his family can now move on with their lives free from further intrusion and that this statement will enable them to do so. I ask the media now to respect their privacy. They have done nothing wrong, and I ask that their privacy should be respected.”
Following the statement, Holly Willoughby released a statement claiming that this news was very 'hurtful'.
On her Instagram story, Holly wrote, "It's 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. Holly."
Former resident This Morning doctor Dr Ranj Singh also made a statement on May 29 about the show being a toxic workplace and because he 'whistle-blew' he was 'managed' out of the show.
Lots of journalists have been contacting me this weekend enquiring about this, so I think it’s only right that I clarify things.There is so much more I could say, but for now I hope my concerns will finally be taken seriously, and something good comes from all this… 🤎 pic.twitter.com/6Tx23IWUnsMay 28, 2023
In a post on his Instagram story, Phillip denied any toxic environment at This Morning. On May 29 he said on social media, "Now I no longer work on @thismorning I am free to say this. I hope you have noticed that it’s the same handful of people with a grudge against me or the show who seem to have the loudest voice."
"This Morning is the best show to work on, with the best people. In all the years I worked there there was no toxicity. You can listen to those persistently loud voices if you like. But the thousands of guests over the years, thousands of staff and crew, hundreds of presenters and contributors all know, it is a family of wonderful, talented, kind, hard working people," he said.
Phillip was then called out by Eamonn Holmes who called his statement 'delusional.' "Schofield has just put out a delusional statement. Like Holly he puts it on Insta Stories so if it goes wrong there is no record after 24 hrs. I'm reluctant to give the liar any more publicity but believe me Pip if u r looking for a fight, u have picked on the wrong person!"
Eamonn then gave an exclusive interview to GB News where he opened up about his experience working with Phillip Schofield, and how he treated members of staff and the women on Loose Women.
In the interview, Eamonn said of Phillip, "He is the chief narcissist. He is a complete and utter dyed-in-the-wool narcissist, everything is about him."
He also said that he didn't believe that Holly Willoughby would be returning to the show and said, "Not only should Phillip go but Holly should follow him out the door.I don’t think you’ll ever see Holly back on the couch again. It’s not about protecting the young fella involved, it’s about brand protection with her, her company, and advertising deals which looks like she’s distancing herself from to protect herself."
