Eamonn Holmes reacts to Phillip Schofield's affair and says he's 'not the only guilty party'
Fellow broadcaster Eamonn Holmes has taken to social media to address Phillip Schofield's resignation from ITV.
Former This Morning presenter Phillip Schofield stepped down from his role - or was sacked, according to Holmes - last Saturday (20 May).
Shortly after, the 61-year-old admitted to having a 'consensual on-off relationship' with a 'younger male colleague at This Morning,' noting it wasn't 'illegal' but was 'unwise'.
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He subsequently announced he wouldn't just be stepping down from This Morning, but leaving ITV completely with immediate effect.
ITV bosses have publicly expressed their 'deep disappointment' in the former This Morning host's 'deceit,' but Holmes has since claimed Schofield is not the only 'guilty party' at the network.
Addressing the affair, Schofield said: "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."
After Schofield released the statement about his affair, a spokesperson for ITV told LADbible: "We are deeply disappointed by the admissions of deceit made tonight by Phillip Schofield.
"The relationships we have with those we work with are based on trust. Philip made assurances to us which he now acknowledges were untrue and we feel badly let down.
"We accept his resignation from ITV and therefore can confirm that he will not be appearing on ITV as had previously been stated."
Taking to Twitter yesterday (Friday, 26 May), Holmes tweeted that Schofield has 'finally been caught out'.
However, the broadcaster goes on to claim: "But he's not the only guilty party.
"Four high members of Itv management knew what sort of man he was ...and NEVER once took action to prevent him controlling or taking advantage of his position over young people."
Some have called out Holmes for his condemnation of Schofield and ITV, sharing videos of him embracing Schofield and previous tweets he wrote in support of the former This Morning presenter.
Holmes' response? He wrote: "Ruth and I deceived and lied to," he replied to one tweet calling him out for being 'a hypocrite'.
"One day I will tell the story. We had no issue with him being gay, only support. What transpired took us for fools . The man told us complete lies and we unfortunately believed him."
Holmes' comments follow Dan Wootton - a former reporter for ITV's Lorraine - calling for the CEO of the company, Carolyn McCall, and the senior executives to step down.
Similarly taking to Twitter, he wrote: "Woke ITV CEO Carolyn McCall happily gets rid of Piers Morgan, Jeremy Clarkson, Carol McGiffin and Jeremy Kyle, but allowed her senior executives to cover up for Phillip Schofield for FOUR YEARS.
"They must all step down now."
A spokesperson for ITV told LADbible: "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."
Topics: ITV, Phillip Schofield, Social Media, TV and Film, Twitter, Eamonn Holmes
Poppy Bilderbeck