Phillip Schofield affair

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    Phillip Schofield’s young ITV lover’s life ‘in tatters’ after it’s revealed he signed £100k gagging order to stay quiet

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    PHILLIP Schofield’s young ITV lover’s life is “in tatters” and he “has been struggling”, according to reports.The former This Morning host, 61, admitted to the affair and lying to his ITV employers in an extraordinary mea culpa last May.
    Phillip Schofield’s young ITV lover’s life is ‘in tatters’ and he ‘has been struggling’Credit: Click News and Media
    It was revealed yesterday Schofield paid his ex-lover a six-figure sum in a dealCredit: Enterprise News and Pictures
    It was revealed yesterday Schofield paid his ex-lover, who is 34 years his junior, a six-figure sum in a deal.
    The arrangement with his ex now mutually gags both Phillip and the man from ever talking about their relationship.
    A representative for Schofield confirmed a deal was signed last year, including payment to compensate the man for losses suffered, the Mail on Sunday reported.
    And now it has emerged that the younger male colleague is still attempting to put his life back together.
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    “Now it turns out he has been gagged. It all seems very unfair,” a former colleague told MailOnline.
    “He has been struggling for some time, he had a lot of friends at ITV and we often think about him and hope he is doing OK.
    “It has been tumultuous for him, just when he was getting his life sorted.”
    A friend of the runner — identified only as Person X — also said having no option to speak out because he was persuaded to sign an NDA was “cruel”.
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    In comparison, Schofield was able to discuss his “unwise but not illegal” relationship in a series of interviews last year.
    A source said the payout was part of an agreement that also included an NDA preventing both men from talking about the scandal.
    This Morning’s new hosts revealed as top TV presenters replace Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield
    The scandal brought the presenter’s decades-long TV career to an ignominious end last year.
    The man was just 15 when he met Schofield, who helped him land a job as a runner on This Morning at the age of 19.
    A romantic relationship between the pair began when the man was 20, after which he moved to another ITV daytime show, Loose Women.
    He later left the channel with a separate payout.

    Speaking to the Sun last June, Schofield told of his struggles.
    He said: “You watch all these layers of you slide away and slide away and slide away.
    “The things that were dear to you. But I deserve it. It’s my fault. I deserve it.”
    He also vowed never to use social media again.
    The news follows ITV announcing Phillip and former co-star Holly Willoughby’s permanent replacement on This Morning.
    READ MORE SUN STORIES
    Ben Shephard is swapping the Good Morning Britain studio for its sister show, while Cat Deeley is quitting the US to co-host the show.
    The duo are said to have signed packages of £550,000 a year, £150,000 less than their predecessors.
    The former This Morning host admitted to the affair last MayCredit: Louis Wood
    The scandal saw Schofield’s decades long TV career come to an abrupt endCredit: Rex More

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      Phillip Schofield ‘paid former lover six-figure sum in deal which included non-disclosure agreement’

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      FORMER This Morning host Phillip Schofield paid his ex-lover a six-figure sum in a deal, it has been revealed.The arrangement mutually gags both from ever talking about their relationship.
      Phillip Schofield paid a six-figure fee to his former lover after the scandal broke last yearCredit: Rex
      Schofield’s former colleague also signed a non-disclosure agreementCredit: Enterprise News and Pictures
      The presenter’s former colleague, 34 years his junior, signed a non-disclosure agreement as part of the accord reached.
      It prevents him from talking about the scandal that brought the presenter’s decades-long TV career to an ignominious end last year.
      Schofield, 61, has been keeping a low profile since admitting to the affair and lying to his ITV employers in an extraordinary mea culpa last May.
      A representative for Schofield confirmed a deal was signed last year, including payment to compensate the man for losses suffered, the Mail on Sunday reported.
      READ MORE PHILLIP SCHOFIELD
      The man was just 15 when he met Schofield, who helped him land a job as a runner on This Morning at the age of 19.
      A romantic relationship between the pair began when the man was 20, after which he moved to another ITV daytime show, Loose Women.
      He later left the channel with a separate payout.
      Last night, a source said the payout was part of an agreement that also included an NDA preventing both men from talking about the scandal.
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      Speaking to the Sun last June, Schofield told of his struggles.
      He said: “You watch all these layers of you slide away and slide away and slide away.
      This Morning’s new hosts revealed as top TV presenters replace Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield
      “The things that were dear to you. But I deserve it. It’s my fault. I deserve it.”
      He also vowed never to use social media again.
      The scandal saw Schofield’s decades long TV career come to an abrupt endCredit: Rex More

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      ‘Absurd’ ITV probe into Phillip Schofield could have found 10 people in 1 day who knew about affair, insiders say

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      ITV’s probe into Phillip Schofield could have found 10 people in one day who knew about his affair, an insider has claimed. The former This Morning staffer was speaking after the review yesterday suggested just one junior worker admitted to knowing about Schofield’s relationship with a runner.
      An insider has slammed the review into Phillip Schofield’s affair as a ‘whitewash’Credit: Enterprise News and Pictures
      The probe was launched after Schofield quit This Morning, then admitted to the relationshipCredit: Louis Wood
      The report and its findings have since been labelled “whitewash” and slammed as “utterly implausible” by fellow ITV workers.
      The runner, who was at least 30 years Schofield’s junior, started at ITV in 2017 and the presenter admitted they shared a moment in his dressing room that same year.
      Rumours of the affair were said to have swirled “around the entire floor from 2019”, yet just one person said they’d heard about it.
      An insider, who worked for This Morning from 2018 to 2020, has now blasted the review – claiming not enough people were spoken to, and those who were must have been “scared to lose their jobs”.
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      The source told The Sun: “This ITV probe has been a complete whitewash. It’s disgusting.
      “The fact that only 48 people were interviewed is a joke. When factoring in that some of them were presenters, agents, management – not many of the production team were spoken to.”
      The insider explained that at least 70 people working on the programme at any time – let alone “hundreds of people left the show to go to new jobs”.
      They continued: “I feel it has not been thorough at all.
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      “The fact that only one person knew out of all of those people is frankly absurd.
      “I was not contacted to speak and if asked, I would have spoken and told what I know.”
      The insider added: “Within a one-day investigation you could have found 10 people that knew.
      “It seems the KC has just gone to people working there that are scared for their jobs. I do not think this has been a truly thorough investigation at all.
      “It was a horrible toxic environment and this investigation doesn’t show that at all, it simply wasn’t done.”
      The Sun has approached ITV for comment.
      Other ITV staffers have shared similar disgust over the review – with one saying the rumours spread like wildfire.
      They told The Sun: “Even talent – high profile names – were aware of the gossip even if they had no proof, or didn’t ask the right questions to the right people. 
      “It seems utterly implausible only one person knew. It’s a predictably sanitised version of events.”
      ITV today told The Sun that everyone had been invited to contribute to the review, and said that interviews were conducted confidentially.
      The probe came after Schofield was axed from This Morning in May, then admitted he’d had the affair after rumors started circulating.
      The channel then asked barrister Jane Mulcahy KC to lead a review into its handling of the relationship.
      Phil, 61, and his young lover, a runner, refused to be quizzed.
      It said that the runner “wanted to move on with his life and was not prepared to assist with” the review.
      And a source close to Schofield has now revealed the reason for the former presenter avoiding taking part.
      The review found that TV made “considerable efforts” to find out the truth about the relationship but was “unable to uncover the relevant evidence” until Schofield admitted it.
      ITV chairman Andy Costlett yesterday said: “The KC review makes it clear that ITV’s management made considerable efforts to determine the truth about an alleged relationship between PS and Person X following media speculation.
      “However, no concerns were reported and in the face of the denials of the individuals involved, ITV was unable to uncover the relevant evidence until PS’s admission in late May 2023.
      “The KC makes it clear that the senior management of ITV and the senior team of This Morning were unaware of the nature of the relationship until PS’s statement in May 2023.
      Read more on The Sun
      “We also asked the KC to review how we acted towards Person X and the KC has found that the company provided significant support to him.”
      He added that “for the period under review there was ‘no finding of a toxic culture and had there been one [she] would have said so”.

      2017: Phillip Scofield and the runner share “a consensual moment” in his dressing room
      April 17, 2023: Schofield returns to This Morning after his brother Tim’s sex-abuse conviction – but Holly is missing. 
      May 10: The Sun exclusively reveals Schofield and Holly are barely talking after insiders said their relationship had “cooled”
      May 11: Schofield breaks his silence and dubs Holly his “rock” in a bid to mend their broken relationship.
      May 15: The daytime TV pair are said to be “feuding” – after their on-screen chemistry seems off.
      May 20: Phillip announces he would be stepping back from his role on This Morning
      May 21: Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond replace the pair on This Morning
      May 22: The pair pay tribute to Schofield on air – branding him “one of the best live TV broadcasters”
      May 26: Schofield admits to having an affair with “much younger man” – and announces he’s stepping down from ITV
      May 27: ITV says it investigated “rumours of a relationship” between Schofield and a younger employee – but the pair “repeatedly denied” the affair. Then, Holly also accuses Schofield of lying to her about the affair
      May 28: Former This Morning resident doctor Ranj Singh claims “the issues with This Morning go far beyond” Schofield
      May 29: Minutes before This Morning begins, Schofield hits out at “the same handful of people with a grudge against me or the show” – seeing former colleague Eamonn Holmes hit back
      May 30: Phillip Schofield is axed as ambassador for Prince’s Trust. Separately, it emerges that ITV bosses are due to appear before the culture, media and sports committee
      May 31: It’s revealed Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary are to be quizzed along with Holly Willoughby and the rest of the show’s presenting roster
      June 1: Schofield exclusively tells The Sun he feels “utterly broken and ashamed” by the affair
      June 6: On her return to the This Morning sofa after two weeks away, Willoughby told viewers she had been left feeling “shaken, troubled, let down” following revelations over Schofield’s affair, leading to his departure. ITV director grilled over Phillip Schofield row and gets mocked by MP who quotes Holly and asks ‘are you ok?’
      October 10: Holly Willoughby quits This Morning, she says, “for me and my family”
      December 7: ITV review is released – reveals just one other person knew about the affair More

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      This Morning staff feared for jobs if they spoke out over Phillip Schofield’s affair with young runner, ITV probe finds

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      THIS Morning staff feared for their jobs if they spoke out over Phillip Schofield’s affair, an ITV probe has found.The channel was accused of a whitewash over its long-awaited report into Phillip Schofield’s relationship with a young runner on This Morning.
      This Morning staff feared for their jobs if they spoke out over Phillip Schofield’s affair, an ITV probe has foundCredit: Enterprise News and Pictures
      Schofield’s affair also caused a rift with his co-host Holly Willoughby. She left the show in OctoberCredit: Pixel8000
      Schofield left This Morning in May after admitting to lying about his affair with the male runner, at least 30 years his juniorCredit: Louis Wood
      The probe said ITV needed to give clear guidelines to household names on how to behave themselves. But it found no evidence of a toxic culture on This Morning or daytime TV at the channel.
      Phil, 61, and his young lover, a runner, refused to be quizzed.
      One staffer spoke of their “sheer bewilderment” at the findings and said: “There is a chasm between this and reality. ITV will need more than policies and procedures to address its culture of silence.”
      Another ITV employee said: “The findings were not surprising to say the least. That’s not to say we all agree with them. Rumours of the affair were swirling around the entire floor from 2019.
      READ MORE ON PHILLIP SCHOFIELD
      “Even talent — high-profile names — were aware of the gossip even if they had no proof, or didn’t ask the right questions to the right people.
      “It seems utterly implausible only one person knew. It’s a predictably sanitised version of events.
      “But lessons will have been learned and bosses are adamant that they are embroiled in no more scandal. Generally it is a happy ship here. Everyone just wants to move on now and start afresh.”
      Schofield left This Morning in May after admitting to lying about his affair with the male runner, at least 30 years his junior.
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      The channel then asked barrister Jane Mulcahy KC to lead a review into its handling of the relationship.
      According to the report Schofield declined to give evidence himself, citing the risk to his mental health.
      The unnamed runner also did not co-operate, as he “wanted to move on with his life”.
      The probe found that most senior management claimed to be unaware of the fling. However, one junior staffer DID know about it as early as 2021, but did not tell anybody for fear it might harm their prospects.
      In a damning summary, Ms Mulcahy wrote: “That former junior employee did not report their knowledge at the time.
      “Nor did others report suspicions from much earlier in 2017.
      “This leads me to emphasise in my recommendations the importance of junior employees having the confidence to raise concerns to management in line with ITV’s Speaking Up policy.
      “I have no doubt that senior management are absolutely wedded to the importance of an open culture.
      “But this culture is still not filtering down to junior employees, many of whom remain convinced that to speak out will have a detrimental impact on their careers.”
      At the top of her recommendations, Ms Mulcahy wrote: “Managers should ensure all staff know there is a safe space to complain or raise concerns.
      “No one should be worried that their job will be at risk because they have raised an issue.”
      Her report also told ITV to “take the opportunity to set out clear guidelines for its talent to ensure good behaviours are observed even by those who are household names”.
      In response to her comments, ITV chairman Andy Cosslett said: “For the period under review there was no finding of a ‘toxic culture’ and had there been one (she) would have said so.”
      Meanwhile, a source close to Schofield said: “Phil is in an extremely dark place right now and needs all the support he can get.
      “He is unbelievably bruised and broken from these past six months, and was in no state to be interrogated. That is the sole reason he did not contribute to the enquiry — there was no ulterior motive.”
      A story appeared in The Sun in 2019 alleging a relationship between Schofield and runner but there was little action ITV felt they could take because both denied it.
      Ms Mulcahy wrote: “ITV was unable to uncover the relevant ­evidence until PS (Schofield’s) admission in late May 2023.”
      The barrister’s report also broached the subject of any suggestion that having the fling gained the runner (PX) special treatment from Schofield or ITV — particularly when he was given a promotion and moved on to another show.
      Ms Mulcahy wrote: “It is clear that PS’s patronage assisted PX in the early days of his time at ITV but, beyond this, PX seems to have made his way on his own.
      “I’m satisfied that PX’s promotion to another daytime programme had nothing to do with PS. Further, the only agreement between ITV and PX under which he was paid any settlement sum was a standard agreement ending the employment relationship dated July 31 2021.
      ITV chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall said: ‘The recommendations show that there is a need for ITV to do much more to encourage people to speak out’Credit: Getty
      “After the story broke in 2019, ITV tried to do everything it could to help PX and provided significant additional support to him, even in May 2023 despite his employment having ended.”
      Schofield’s affair also caused a rift with his co-host Holly Willoughby. She left the show in October — soon after a man was charged over an alleged kidnap plot.
      Read more on The Sun
       ITV chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall said of the review: “The recommendations show that there is a need for ITV to do much more to encourage people to speak out, and to support junior staff.
      “It is not enough to have policies and procedures in place: staff, especially junior ones, need to know it’s safe to use them.”
      MONTHS OF FALLOUT OVER FLING More

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      Inside Phillip Schofield’s past seven months out of the public eye from reunion with co-star to mother’s hospital vigil

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      SEVEN months on from Phillip Schofield’s shock departure from This Morning the star still remains out of the public eye.Schofield was axed from the ITV show in May and then admitted he’d had the affair with a much younger colleague after rumors started circulating.
      Phillip Schofield refused to take part in an ITV probeCredit: Louis Wood
      It’s been seven month since he was axed from This MorningCredit: Rex
      The former host has broken cover several timesCredit: Splash
      The runner, who was at least 30 years Schofield’s junior, started at ITV in 2017 and the presenter admitted they shared a moment in his dressing room that same year.
      Today it was revealed that the ex-broadcaster, 61, refused to take part in an ITV probe into the relationship.
      However, Schofield has broken cover several times since the affair was revealed.
      The host of 21 years was fired back in May – and devastated Phil immediately then drove 300 miles from London to Cornwall to see mum Pat, 85.
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      The Sun exclusively showed how he spent that evening pouring his heart out to her on a coastal walk.
      A month later he was again snapped in Cornwall as he was spotted outside his seriously-ill mum’s home.
      He had been keeping a vigil in a hospital where Pat was treated for an unknown condition for several days.
      But she was then moved home – and it is thought Schofield stayed with her while she recuperates.
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      Pictures showed him looking concerned as he left her home with his cousin David.
      In August Schofield once again broke cover as he reunited with This Morning co-star Vanessa Feltz for dinner.
      He and Vanessa, also 61, left restaurant Little Bird in Chiswick, West London.
      The friends shared a hug and were snapped chatting animatedly before TalkTV host Vanessa got into a waiting car, while Phil left alone on foot.
      Just a week later he was spotted deep in conversation with a pal as he enjoyed a burger and a drink at the Weir Bar in Brentford, West London, on Sunday.
      He appeared at ease as he sat at a wooden picnic table dressed in a short-sleeved white shirt while having a drink.
      In October he was snapped just days after best pal Holly Willoughby quit This Morning.
      He looked downcast as he headed to his car in West London in a leafy neighbourhood wearing a grey sweater, blue jeans and burgundy Converse.
      Phil did not comment on his longtime co-star’s shock exit from the programme.
      And Holly notably failed to mention her old sidekick in her brief exit statement.
      Today ​​the report by Jane Mulcahy KC, referred to Schofield as PS, and the runner PX – Person X.
      It said that the runner “wanted to move on with his life and was not prepared to assist with” the review.
      Schofield was axed from This Morning in May and then admitted he’d had the affair after rumors started circulating.
      The report today revealed that of the 48 people interviewed – only one person knew of the affair before May.
      And, they were only told two years prior.
      The findings also suggest that one person is not Holly Willoughby as they were a junior at ITV.
      The review found that TV made “considerable efforts” to find out the truth about the relationship but was “unable to uncover the relevant evidence” until Schofield admitted it.
      ITV chairman Andy Costlett today said: “The KC review makes it clear that ITV’s management made considerable efforts to determine the truth about an alleged relationship between PS and Person X following media speculation.
      “However, no concerns were reported and in the face of the denials of the individuals involved, ITV was unable to uncover the relevant evidence until PS’s admission in late May 2023.
      “The KC makes it clear that the senior management of ITV and the senior team of This Morning were unaware of the nature of the relationship until PS’s statement in May 2023.
      “We also asked the KC to review how we acted towards Person X and the KC has found that the company provided significant support to him.”
      Read more on The Sun
      Schofield and the runner — identified only as Person X — both “categorically denied” any affair.
      Person X was asked 12 times, including twice with a human resources staffer present.
      Holly notably failed to mention her old sidekick in her brief exit statementCredit: Rex More

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      Phillip Schofield did NOT co-operate with ITV review into behaviour & probe only found one person who knew about affair

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      PHILLIP Schofield refused to take part in the ITV review that was launched after his affair with a colleague, it has today been revealed.It has also been revealed that just one person knew about their relationship – and they only became aware in 2021.
      A report into Phillip Schofield’s affair has today been publishedCredit: Enterprise
      The probe was launched in June after Schofield came clean about the relationshipCredit: Splash
      The runner, who was at least 30 years Schofield’s junior, started at ITV in 2017 and the presenter admitted they shared a moment in his dressing room that same year.
      The ex-This Morning broadcaster, 61, and his former lover were meant to be quizzed at length amid the review – after their affair came to light in May.
      However, it was today revealed the pair refused to cooperate – along with four others.
      In the report by Jane Mulcahy KC, Schofield is referred to as PS, and the runner PX – Person X.
      Read more on showbiz
      Ms Mulcahy wrote: “PS ‘reluctantly decline[d]’ my invitation to participate in the Review because of the risk to his health.
      “I am informed that PS’s mental health has since deteriorated.”
      It said that the runner “wanted to move on with his life and was not prepared to assist with” the review.
      Schofield was axed from This Morning in May and then admitted he’d had the affair after rumors started circulating.
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      The report today revealed that of the 48 people interviewed – only one person knew of the affair before May.
      And, they were only told two years prior.
      The findings also suggest that one person is not Holly Willoughby as they were a junior at ITV.
      Ms Mulcahly wrote: “Only one person to whom I spoke had any knowledge of an affair between PS and PX prior to May 2023 (they became aware in 2021) and that former junior employee did not report their knowledge at the time.
      “Nor did others report suspicions from much earlier in 2017.”
      The review found that TV made “considerable efforts” to find out the truth about the relationship but was “unable to uncover the relevant evidence” until Schofield admitted it.
      In her report, Ms Mulcahy said today: “I have no doubt that senior management are absolutely wedded to the importance of an open culture.
      “But this culture is still not filtering down to junior employees, many of whom remain convinced that to speak out will have a detrimental impact on their careers.”
      ‘OPEN SECRET’
      Earlier this year ITV boss Carolyn McCall told the Culture, Media and Sport Committee she first became aware of a rumour about the relationship in December 2019, two years after she joined ITV.
      She ordered the probe after Schofield admitted lying to cover up his affair.
      The boss said the TV star had been quizzed over widespread rumours but admitted she failed to launch a formal investigation.
      Dame Carolyn denied the affair was an “open secret” at ITV.
      ITV chairman Andy Costlett today said: “The KC review makes it clear that ITV’s management made considerable efforts to determine the truth about an alleged relationship between PS and Person X following media speculation.
      “However, no concerns were reported and in the face of the denials of the individuals involved, ITV was unable to uncover the relevant evidence until PS’s admission in late May 2023.
      “The KC makes it clear that the senior management of ITV and the senior team of This Morning were unaware of the nature of the relationship until PS’s statement in May 2023.
      “We also asked the KC to review how we acted towards Person X and the KC has found that the company provided significant support to him.”
      STARS PROBED
      Mr Cosslett added that “for the period under review there was ‘no finding of a toxic culture and had there been one [she] would have said so”.
      The investigation started in June, and was set to take 12 weeks.
      However, in September it was revealed the findings would be delayed.
      The probe was said to have seen Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary, interviewed along with Holly Willoughby.
      However, the stars were not mentioned once in the report.
      In June, a source told The Sun on Sunday: “The inquiry will speak to all those involved.
      “It will focus on what happened before and after he was first given work experience on the set of This Morning.
      “And it will also seek to establish who knew what and when.
      “As well as speaking to current staff it will also invite former employees to come forward with information.”
      ‘DEEPLY INAPPROPRIATE’
      Schofield left This Morning earlier this year when it emerged he had lied over the relationship with a runner almost 30 years his junior.
      Dame Carolyn was called to the Commons to give evidence about the scandal, alongside ITV’s ­managing director Kevin Lygo and lawyer Kyla Mullins.
      She branded the relationship “deeply inappropriate” and said only “ongoing reviews” were held. None of them established the full facts, she added.
      Schofield and the runner — identified only as Person X — both “categorically denied” any affair.
      Person X was asked 12 times, including twice with a human resources staffer present.
      When asked if ITV had pressured him to remain silent, Dame Carolyn said: “I want to be clear it was Phillip putting him under pressure — not ITV putting him under pressure.
      “They are two quite different things.”
      ITV’s managing director Kevin Lygo said he confronted Schofield in February 2022 when he came out on This Morning and when he stepped down in May.
      Read more on The Sun
      He added: “He looked me in the eye and promised me there was no truth to the rumours of this relationship. Because it was corroborated by Person X, I believed him and I believed his agent.
      “Then two days later, he comes out and says, ‘No, it’s a lie’.” More

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      Phillip Schofield will ‘spend Christmas with ex-wife Stephanie’ after split and This Morning axe

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      Phillip Schofield will reportedly spend Christmas with his ex-wife Stephanie after their split and his This Morning axe.Despite separating when Phil, 61, announced he was gay in 2020, he has continued to wear his wedding band – as a symbol of their commitment.
      Phillip Schofield will reportedly spend Christmas with his ex-wife StephanieCredit: Getty
      This year, he admitted to having an affair with a much younger colleague, resulting in his resignation from ITV.
      But the former TV presenter has insisted he and Stephanie Lowe, 59, “have a wonderful marriage”.
      And so much so, the pair, who married in 1993 and share daughters Molly, 30, and Ruby, 27, are thought to have made some festive plans together.
      A source told Woman’s Own, “Christmas is all about spending time with the people you love.
      read more on s club
      “While Phil and Steph are no longer together in the traditional sense, there’s still a lot of love between them.
      “Phil spends a lot of time with his family, which includes Steph, so it’s natural that they’d spend the big day together.”
      It certainly hasn’t been a smooth-sailing year for the star.
      Holly Willoughby, his former co-host and best pal, was said to have felt betrayed by his actions and the pair haven’t spoken since.
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      Her position on the programme had been under intense scrutiny ever since, culminating in her departure last month.
      Despite no wrongdoing on Holly’s part, many viewers weren’t fond of the way she responded to the scandal with claims she “threw Phil under the bus” by distancing herself from him.
      In her resignation statement, she said: “I have let ITV know today that, after 14 years, I will not be returning to This Morning.
      “To everyone who has ever worked on the show over the years, thank you so, so much.
      “This is such a difficult goodbye, you are incredible and I forever will be proud of what we’ve done together.
      “Thank you to everyone at ITV for being supportive. To every guest who has sat on our sofa, thank you.”
      Insiders at the broadcaster suspect Holly’s prompt and unopposed exit within a matter of hours has been carefully choreographed ahead of the publication of a major investigation into the culture at This Morning, widely expected to be damning.
      ITV bosses are now casting the net for “the new Phil and Holly”, with untested hosts taking over in a redesigned set from January.
      Phillip’s representative declined to comment when contacted by The Sun.
      Phillip was a children’s TV star when he met wife Stephanie who was working as a BBC production assistantCredit: PA:Press Association
      Holly Willoughby’s first ever show on This Morning alongside axed host PhillipCredit: ITV More