Ruth Langsford has been dragged into an alleged cover up by ITV after her husband Eamonn Holmes claimed they were both "lied to" when Phillip Schofield went public with his affair with a young TV runner.
The 61-year-old released a shocking statement regarding a "younger male ITV colleague" on Friday, which he said he hid from his wife Stephanie Lowe and This Morning bosses.
The veteran TV presenter said the affair began while he was still with his wife Stephanie, adding he was "very, very sorry" for having been unfaithful to her. It comes after he announced he was stepping down from presenting the ITV talk show with "immediate effect" last weekend, while co-presenter Holly Willoughby will remain on the programme.
It follows Phil's exit from the popular ITV show after nearly 20 years at the helm. Former co-star Eamonn Holmes was among those shocked at the revelations, reports the Mirror.
He has been an outspoken critic of Schofield since he was axed from This Morning in 2022. He told fans Loose Women star Ruth had been "lied to" and "made to look like fools".
Eamonn said: "Ruth and I have been deceived and lied to. One day I will tell the story. We had no issue with him being Gay, only support."
He added: "What transpired took us for fools. The man told us complete lies and we unfortunately believed him."
Eamonn and Ruth publicly supported Phil when he came out to the public as gay in February 2020. Since Eamonn and Ruth were axed from This Morning, however, Eamonn has made several comments alluding to his dislike for his former colleague.
Ruth has not publicly commented on the row as she continues to work for ITV as a host on the station's Loose Women.
There were rumours of the couple not getting on with Phil, prior to them leaving This Morning. Ruth was said to have made a complaint about Phillip's on set behaviour in 2019.
She looked visibly shocked when Phillip cut her off on camera as she was telling viewers what was coming up next on Loose Women, muttering angrily: "Well I only had about two more words to say."
Eamonn said at the time: "Phillip is renowned for snubbing people. He’s very passive-aggressive. It’s up to Ruth to say how she felt, but I was feeling hurt for her. No one would have snubbed me like that.”
The tension reared its head in 2020 at the National Television Awards. Eamonn had attempted to take a trophy from Phil's hands, but he appeared to refuse to hand it over.
Eamonn was quick to comment last week when Phillip's removal from This Morning was announced. He interrupted a GB News colleague reporting on the issue to say: "Oh please just stop this. He was sacked.
"All this nonsense of 'I've decided to step down'. I'm sure you did - here's your P45, now step down."
Discussing Phillip's co-star Holly Willoughby, he added: “And (Holly) says: 'Oh, the couch will not be the same without him being there'. Well she wanted him not there. So what is she moaning about? They deserve each other I suppose"
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