ITV staff must ‘declare personal relationships’ after Phillip Schofield scandal

Phillip Schofield left This Morning earlier this year (Picture: ITV)

ITV staff have been reportedly told to make their friendships and relationships known after Phillip Schofield lied about an affair with a much younger male colleague on This Morning.

The presenter, 61, famously left the channel and stepped back from the spotlight earlier this year after admitting to an affair.

He described the relationship with the runner – who has not been named publicly – as ‘unwise but not illegal’ and later firmly denied accusations that he had ‘groomed’ the runner.

It’s been claimed that the broadcaster has since updated its policy on relationships between co-workers, which had been in place since October last year.

According to the Sunday Times, the document reads: ‘If a personal relationship exists between you and another colleague (whether it started prior to or during the course of your employment or engagement with ITV), both parties must disclose this to the company at the earliest opportunity.’

Schofield’s exit from This Morning also sparked further allegations the programme was fostering a bullying culture that had been described as toxic, with the likes of Dr Ranj Singh and Eamonn Holmes speaking out.

Schofield quit This Morning after admitting his ‘unwise but not illegal’ affair (Picture: REX)

Following his departure from the broadcaster, an external review into the facts was launched in May, as confirmed in a letter from Dame Carolyn McCall to Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer, DCMS Committee chair Dame Caroline Dinenage and Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes.

In the letter, she wrote that ITV takes the matter ‘extremely seriously and have reviewed our own records … [which] show that when rumours of a relationship between Phillip Schofield and an employee of ITV first began to circulate in late 2019/early 2020 ITV investigated.’

Schofield’s former co-star Holly Willoughby recently made the shock announcement that she would not be returning to present the show again.

Releasing a statement on social media the 42-year-old presenter said it was a ‘difficult goodbye’ and thanked ‘loyal and supportive’ viewers.

Metro.co.uk has reached out to ITV for comment.

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Phillip left the show earlier this year.