ITV has denied reports that This Morning presenters Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby are feuding, and that Schofield has been the subject of internal complaints from his colleagues.
Schofield is alleged to have encouraged Willoughby to not talk on-air about her professional success unrelated to This Morning, leading to the pair’s relationship becoming strained in recent months.
It was also alleged that This Morning presenter Ruth Langsford had made a formal complaint to ITV management about Schofield’s conduct after he interrupted her live on air.
The claims, which were published in The Sun, were denied by ITV and This Morning’s editor.
In a statement, an ITV spokesperson said: “It’s deeply disappointing and unfair for Phillip to be the target of this sort of malicious gossip. Phillip is a much respected broadcaster and colleague and this is absolutely not a description of This Morning that we recognise.
They continued, “Holly and Phil are great friends both on and off screen and are popular among viewers and colleagues alike.”
In a separate statement, Martin Frizell, editor of This Morning, said: “I spend hundreds of days a year in their company and what you see is what you get, a genuine friendship from a couple who are both spontaneously funny and professional.
“We have the smartest viewers watching telly and believe me they would be the first to notice any issues – they haven’t because there are none.”
Earlier this year, former This Morning fill-in presenter Amanda Holden said that the three things she would not want in her home were “spiders, flies and Phillip Schofield”.
It followed claims in June that Schofield had blocked Holden from securing a number of high-profile presenting jobs within ITV. Schofield denied the claims.
