Dan Walker calls for ITV investigation over fears about Phillip Schofield’s mental state
Dan Walker has called for ITV to investigate the 'issues at This Morning' and has hoped that the 'individuals involved get the help they need'.
Former This Morning presenter Phillip Schofield stepped down from the show last month before admitting to having an affair with a male colleague while still married to his wife.
The 61-year-old said he will comply with an external review commissioned by ITV into the facts surrounding his controversial affair.
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Schofield was then dropped by his talent agency, YMU, after admitting to having an 'unwise but not illegal' relationship with a younger male colleague.
Yesterday, the former ITV presenter finally broke his silence in two exclusive interviews with The Sun and the BBC.
When asked directly by the BBC’s Amol Rajan if he had any kind of sexual relationship while his former lover was underage, Schofield said: “God no. In my statement, it says ‘consensual relationship, fully legal’, I mean, that (the statement) was approved by both sides.”
Schofield also said he feels like 'a victim of hate after the event' and opened up about how much he's been struggling mentally in the last few weeks.
“I think there will probably be a lot of people watching this now thinking, ‘how dare you?’ he added.
“It would be easier for me to say I don’t feel like a victim. What I feel a victim of is spun areas of non-factual information and gossip and nastiness. But I don’t look any more.”
Now, 5 News presenter Dan Walker has today (2 June) taken to Twitter to call for 'some elements of the media' to stop the 'relentless hounding'.
"I really hope the issues at This Morning are investigated and resolved," the 46-year-old tweeted.
"I hope that the individuals involved get the help they need and the show stays on air.
"I also hope the relentless hounding from some elements of the media stops. People are clearly on the edge."
LADbible has contacted ITV for comment.
Also in his interview with The Sun, Schofield said: “I did not (groom him). There are accusations of all sorts of things. It never came across that way (an abuse of power) because we’d become mates. I don’t know about that.
“But, of course, I understand that there will be a massive judgment, but bearing in mind, I have never exercised that anywhere else.”
The former ITV host suggested homophobia could be behind some of the criticism.
He said: “Attraction is attraction. It’s no different in the gay world as it is in the heterosexual world or in the lesbian world.
“There shouldn’t be a difference. This is where homophobia comes in. We did first meet when he was 15, I visited the drama school (he attended).”
He added: “So yeah, there’s a difference. It’s accepted by Leonardo DiCaprio, it’s not accepted if it’s in the gay world.”
Topics: Phillip Schofield, ITV, This Morning, UK News
Anish Vij