This Morning’s future has been uncertain (Picture: REX)
ITV has issued confirmation of This Morning’s future amid the fallout of Phillip Schofield’s affair confession.
The 61-year-old host admitted in a lengthy statement on Friday (May 26) that, after years of speculation, he did indeed have a relationship with a much younger male colleague at This Morning.
He apologised to ITV bosses, his colleagues, and family members, for having lied about the affair.
It took place while he was married to his wife Stephanie – with whom he shares two grown-up daughters – and before he came out as gay in 2020.
As a result, Phil resigned from ITV with ‘immediate effect’, announcing that he will no longer be hosting the British Soap Awards next Saturday, which would’ve been his last public commitment.
Viewers have since been speculating over whether This Morning will be back at all, but an ITV spokesperson has now issued a statement to Metro.co.uk.
Phillip Schofield announced his resignation from ITV with ‘immediate effect’ on Friday (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
They said: ‘This Morning will be back on Monday.’
It has not yet been confirmed who will host the show.
However, Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary did step in last week, usually only hosting on Fridays.
Mid-week, Alison was joined by Craig Doyle, holding the fort for an interview with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Meanwhile, ITV has shared that they feel ‘badly let down’ by Phil’s actions, after he previously denied his affair with the runner, who firsr met him when he was a teenager.
The broadcaster told Metro.co.uk yesterday: ‘We are deeply disappointed by the admissions of deceit made tonight by Phillip Schofield.
Holly Willoughby and Phil presented together for 13 years (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
‘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.’
They concluded: ‘We accept his resignation from ITV and therefore can confirm that he will not be appearing on ITV as had previously been stated.’
In a later statement on Saturday (May 27), the channel confirmed that they did, in fact, investigate reports of an affair between Phil and a co-worker.
But, they claim to have found no supporting evidence.
‘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,’ a spokesperson added.
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Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary are hot favourites to replace Holly and Phil (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
‘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.
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‘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.’
The future of Phil’s TV career remains uncertain.
However, he has been dropped by his talent agency of 35 years.
Phillip Schofield statement in full
‘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. That relationship was unwise, but not illegal. It is now over.
‘When I chose to come out I did so entirely for my own wellbeing. Nobody “forced” me out. Neither I nor anyone else, to my knowledge, has ever issued an injunction, super or otherwise, about my relationship with this colleague, he was never moved on or sacked by or because of me. In an effort to protect my ex-colleague I haven’t been truthful about the relationship.
‘But my recent, unrelated, departure from This Morning fuelled speculation and raised questions which have been impacting him, so for his sake it is important for me to be honest now.
‘I am painfully conscious that I have lied to my employers at ITV, to my colleagues and friends, to my agents, to the media and therefore the public and most importantly of all to my family. I am so very, very sorry, as I am for having been unfaithful to my wife.
‘I have therefore decided to step down from the British Soap Awards, my last public commitment, and am resigning from ITV with immediate effect expressing my immense gratitude to them for all the amazing opportunities that they have given me.
‘I will reflect on my very bad judgment in both participating in the relationship and then lying about it. To protect his privacy, I am not naming this individual and my deepest wish is that both he and his family can now move on with their lives free from further intrusion, and that this statement will enable them to do so.
‘I ask the media now to respect their privacy. They have done nothing wrong, and I ask that their privacy should be respected.’
This Morning will be back.
