ITV has issued an update on the return of Holly Willoughby to This Morning after her former co-presenter Phillip Schofield quit ITV and admitted to an affair with a younger male colleague on the show. Phillip, 61, resigned from ITV on Friday and was dropped by his talent agency after admitting to an 'unwise, but not illegal' affair.
Rumours of the relationship were investigated by ITV in 2020, but the broadcaster said both Phillip and the ex colleague 'categorically and repeatedly denied' them. Holly, 41, who has presented This Morning with Phillip since 2009, said her former co-presenter had denied having the relationship to her - and said his admission now was "very hurtful."
Phillip revealed to the Daily Mail that he had quit ITV altogether, which means he won't be hosting this week's British Soap Awards, almost a week after announcing that he had left This Morning after 20 years. He added how he had 'not been truthful' about the relationship, which began while he was still with his wife Stephanie, in 'an effort to protect [his] ex-colleague'.
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Phillip said his departure from This Morning was 'unrelated' to that relationship, but had 'fuelled speculation and raised questions', which he said had been 'impacting' the person involved. The presenter has faced months of controversy due to reports of a rift with Holly, his brother’s child sex abuse trial and the furore over his visit to the late Queen’s lying-in-state.
A spokesperson for ITV said the broadcaster was 'deeply disappointed' by the 'admissions of deceit'. The spokesperson added that Phillip's statement revealed he 'lied to people at ITV', including his colleagues and his management.
ITV bosses have now confirmed that Holly will still return to This Morning, as previously reported, on Monday June 5. "As per our statement on Saturday 20th May, Holly Willoughby will return to This Morning on Monday 5th June following an extended half term break," they told the Manchester Evening News.
The broadcaster also confirmed that Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary will host as the show returns to screens tomorrow (Monday May 29). "I can confirm that Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary will be presenting This Morning tomorrow," said a spokesperson.
Phillip's statement to the Daily Mail read: "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."
He added: "I have 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."
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