ITV investigated 'rumours of relationship' but Phillip Schofield and younger employee 'repeatedly denied' affair

ITV has released a statement confirming rumours of an affair between Phillip Schofield and a younger colleague were previously investigated.

Schofield stepped down from his role on This Morning on Saturday, 20 May, and later resigned from ITV completely after admitting to having an affair with a younger colleague at the network.

Fellow broadcaster Eamonn Holmes has publicly spoken out against Schofield since news of his resignation broke, claiming the 61-year-old 'lied' to him and Ruth Langsford, was sacked opposed to having stepped down, but also that Schofield is 'not the only guilty party'.

ITV

Holmes - who also previously hosted This Morning and is now at GB News - began his tweet by stating Schofield has 'finally been caught out'.

However, he added: "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."

Twitter/ @EamonnHolmes

Holmes' comments echo those made by another former employee of the network, Dan Wootton.

Wootton - a reporter for ITV's Lorraine for eight years - alleged the CEO of ITV and her senior executives were part of a 'cover-up' for Schofield.

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."

Twitter/@danwootton

Responding to LADbible's request for comment, a spokesperson for ITV addressed allegations of a 'cover-up' and Schofield not being 'the only guilty party'.

Having previously expressed it's 'deep disappointment' over the 'admissions of deceit' made by Schofield, the network said, as per its spokesperson: "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."