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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Lifestyle
Ellie Muir

Phillip Schofield removed from Prince’s Trust as ambassador following This Morning scandal

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Phillip Schofield has been removed as an ambassador for The Prince’s Trust following his affair scandal with a colleague on This Morning.

The charity has said it is “no longer appropriate” to work with him.

Schofield was previously listed as an ambassador for the organisation, which was founded by King Charles III in 1976 to help disadvantaged people under 30 in the UK. The charity has many celebrity partners and goodwill ambassadors including Fearne Cotton, Christine Lampard and Cheryl.

The TV presenter, 61, abruptly left the ITV show last week, as rumours of a feud with his co-host Holly Willoughby began to surface. On Friday (26 May), it was revealed that Schofield had been dropped by his agent as the TV host admitted to lying about an “unwise” but “not illegal” relationship he had with a younger male colleague while still married to his wife.

However, a photograph of the presenter laughing alongside King Charles and Fearne Cotton at a Prince’s Trust event, still exists on the website.

A Prince’s Trust spokesperson said: “In light of Phillip’s recent admissions, we have agreed with him that it is no longer appropriate to work together.”

The Independent has contacted The Prince’s Trust for comment and attempted to reach Schofield’s representatives.

Previously, the TV presenter’s “About” page on his personal website had detailed his work with the organisation.

The page, which is currently not viewable due to a website “error”, previously said: “Outside of work, Phillip is an Ambassador for the charity The Prince’s Trust, dedicating time to further the work of supporting vulnerable young people in the UK.”

Phillip Schofield alongside King Charles and other celebrity ambassadors of The Prince’s Trust, on the organisation’s website (Princes Trust website)

It is understood that Schofield’s role in the charity could be in jeopardy, given the events that have unfolded in the past week.

In his statement shared via The Daily Mail, Schofield admitted that he had “lied” to his employers, colleagues and friends at ITV about the affair.

“In an effort to protect my ex-colleague I haven’t been truthful about the relationship,” he said in the statement.

Willoughby, who co-hosted the ITV daytime series alongside Schofield for 12 years, posted an update on her Instagram Stories on Saturday (27 May), saying: “It’s taken time to process [the] news.”

She said she had “asked Phil directly” about whether rumours of his relationship with a This Morning colleague were true, but he assured her they were not.

“When reports of this relationship first surfaced, I asked Phil directly if this was true and was told it was not,” she wrote, adding: “It’s been very hurtful to now find out that this was a lie.”

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