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Eamonn Holmes has shared what he claims to have found out about Phillip Schofield’s relationship with his younger This Morning colleague, alleging that the pair would spend ‘playtime Thursdays’ together.
Following the abrupt departure of Phil, 61, from the ITV programme, the presenter shared a statement confirming that he had lied about an affair he had with a former runner on the show.
The TV personality – who’s been married to Stephanie Lowe since 1993 and came out as gay in 2020 – wrote in a statement: ‘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.’
Phil stated that the relationship was ‘unwise, but not illegal’, after first meeting the colleague in question when he was a teenager.
In a new interview with GB News, Eamonn, 63 – one of Phil’s most vocal critics – said that he ‘didn’t know’ about the relationship, before adding that he ‘subsequently’ found out more information ‘from a ‘very, very good source’.
Eamonn has been one of Phillip’s most vocal critics (Picture: ITV/GB News)
The broadcaster said that the insider claimed that Phil’s lover would arrive at the ITV Studio and ‘was delivered from Phillip’s London ho9me, usually on a Friday morning, because Thursday was playtime when he and Phillip would hit the town’.
‘Then he obviously stayed overnight and there are records to show he was brought in the next day separately, in cars paid for by ITV,’ the GB News presenter said.
When asked by Dan Wootton if ITV management would have known about the payment for the cars, he continued: ‘Unless Phillip paid the bill separately, but it would still have to go through the accounts office, that they would have seen that and known that.’
Eamonn described the man as a ‘lovely fella, really good talented fella’, saying that he and his wife Ruth Langsford, 63, ‘particularly looked after him’.
‘He never once talked to us about any relationship, but we knew he was in a bad way,’ he claimed.
Holly, Phillip, Ruth and Eamonn all worked together on This Morning (Picture: S Meddle/ITV/Rex/Shutterstock)
In a statement posted on her Instagram Story, Phil’s former This Morning co-host Holly Willougby, 42, said that she felt ‘hurt’ after finding out that he had lied about the relationship.
‘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. Holly,’ she said.
In a statement provided to Metro.co.uk, ITV said: ‘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.’
In an updated statement, they said: ‘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.’
Metro.co.uk has contacted ITV for comment. Phillip Schofield declined to comment.
Dan Wootton Tonight airs Mondays to Thursdays at 9pm on GB News.
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Eamonn has been one of Phillip’s most vocal critics.
