Phillip Schofield and young employee 'repeatedly denied' affair after investigation, ITV claims
27 May 2023, 12:07 | Updated: 30 May 2023, 07:40
Phillip Schofield and a young employee at ITV 'repeatedly denied' having an affair, the broadcaster has claimed.
It comes amid questions about how much Schofield's colleagues knew about his affair, including TV bosses and colleagues such as Holly Willoughby.
On Friday night, Schofield admitted to having a "consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague at This Morning", which he said was "unwise, but not illegal".
An ITV spokesperson said: "Further to our statement last night, 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.
"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."
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His management agency YMU has also announced it has 'parted company' with the embattled star with 'immediate effect'.
It comes after Phil, aged 61, announced on Instagram last week that he would be stepping down from This Morning after 13 years of co-hosting with Holly Willoughby, as the pair's friendship was reportedly in turmoil.
Read more: Why did Phillip Schofield leave This Morning?
Revealing his affair, Schofield said in a statement: "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.
"In an effort to protect my ex-colleague I haven't been truthful about the relationship.
"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."
He was dropped from his agency on Thursday.
YMU wrote in a statement: "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.”
He parted with the management team after 35 years.
Schofield has announced his resignation from ITV altogether despite reports the channel had offered him a prime time show to present.
Phil stepped down from This Morning on Saturday after the reported conflict between him and Holly Willoughby.
He wrote in a statement: "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."
"I’d like to thank everyone who has supported me — especially This Morning’s amazing viewers — and I’ll see you all for the Soap Awards next month."
However the former ITV presenter confirmed in his updated announcement today he will no longer be attending the Soap Awards.
Reacting to his resignation from This Morning, Holly said last week: “It’s been over 13 great years presenting This Morning with Phil and I want to take this opportunity to thank him for all of his knowledge, his experience and his humour. The sofa won’t feel the same without him.”
The show lost 170,000 viewers following the reported conflict between the two, as viewers noticed an on-screen tension after the presenting pair made their first joint appearance following the feud rumours.
According to The Sun: “No decisions have been made about who will sit alongside Holly for the long-term.”
