Featured Image Credit: ITV
Topics: ITV, TV and Film, Phillip Schofield, This Morning
Callum Jones
ITV have responded after rumours emerged This Morning could be axed over the recent Phillip Schofield fiasco.
Schofield, 61, left This Morning on 20 May after an apparent feud with former pal Holly Willoughby.
But since then, the former This Morning presenter has hardly left the headlines thanks to a bombshell revelation he made to the Daily Mail.
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The former This Morning presenter admitted to having an affair with a younger male colleague on the show while he was still with his wife Stephanie Lowe, and before he came out as gay in 2020.
In his statement provided to the Daily Mail, Schofield said: "I am making this statement via the Daily Mail to whom I have already apologised personally for misleading, through my lawyer who I also misled, about a story which they wanted to write about me a few days ago.
“The first thing I want to say is: I am deeply sorry for having lied to them, and to many others about a relationship that I had with someone working on This Morning.
"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.
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"That relationship was unwise, but not illegal. It is now over."
The former This Morning presenter continued by saying he is 'painfully conscious' that he has lied to many, including those at ITV and his family.
Since then, ITV have issued a statement to LADbible confirming an investigation was launched over the reported affair, but Schofield 'repeatedly denied' it.
His former pal Willoughby also released a statement on Saturday (27 May), admitting the whole situation has left her feeling 'very hurtful'.
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Taking to Instagram, she wrote: “It’s taken time to process yesterday’s news.
"When reports of this relationship first surfaced, I asked Phil directly if this was true and was told it was not.
"It’s been very hurtful to now find out that this was a lie.”
With all this fiasco, some newspaper reports had suggested This Morning may be on its last legs, but ITV has strongly denied this.
Denying reports of the show getting the axe, an ITV spokesperson said: "As we said on the record yesterday, This Morning is not under review and there's no plans for the show to be axed.
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"This Morning will return as normal tomorrow [Monday]."