‘I, too, was deprived of saying goodbye to my GMB audience,’ Piers said. (Picture: Rex/Reuters)
Phillip Schofield has reportedly opened up personally to Piers Morgan about how he’s feeling after his This Morning exit, admitting that he’s ‘heartbroken’ that he didn’t have a proper send-off.
The 61-year-old’s final episode of the ITV show aired on Thursday May 18, marking the final time that he fronted the programme with his co-host Holly Willoughby, 42, amid their alleged ‘fallout’.
Phillip confirmed he had quit in a statement released on Saturday May 20, while his departure was addressed on Monday’s instalment by Alison Hammond, 48, and Dermot O’Leary, 49, who described him as ‘one of the best live television broadcasters this country has ever had’.
However, the fact that he wasn’t able to bid farewell directly to his audiences on This Morning is said to have greatly upset him, according to former Good Morning Britain personality Piers, 58.
The TalkTV broadcaster expressed how much ‘empathy’ he’s feeling towards Phillip regarding his situation and how his exit unfolded after more than two decades on the weekday daytime show.
‘I don’t know the full story behind Phillip Schofield’s downfall, but where I feel personal empathy with him is over the manner of his sacking,’ he wrote for The Sun.
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‘For ITV to not even give him the chance to say a proper goodbye to his large, loyal audience after 21 years struck me as needlessly churlish, and I know he’s utterly heartbroken about it because he told me himself.’
Piers continued, recalling when he left GMB in 2021, after refusing to apologise for saying that he didn’t believe remarks made by Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex about her mental health.
‘I, too, was deprived of saying goodbye to my GMB audience and that hurt after putting so much effort into gaining their trust,’ he stated.
‘But he can at least console himself with the fact that he got publicly thanked by his employers.’
Speculation is rife as to who will replace Phillip (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Rex/Shutterstock)
Piers stormed off during a heated debate on GMB before he announced he’d quit (Picture: ITV)
On the day that Phillip’s exit from This Morning was confirmed, ITV said in a statement: ‘After more than 20 years on the This Morning sofa, Phillip Schofield has stepped back from ITV’s flagship morning show having presented his last episode on Thursday 18 May.
‘Having co-hosted the multi-award winning show for two decades, Phillip will continue to present peak time shows for ITV including next month’s The British Soap Awards and a new prime time series.’
The tribute made by Alison and Dermot came at the start of Monday’s show, as they began presenting during the half-term break while Holly took an extended break away.
Alison began by saying: ‘Now, we can’t start today’s show without paying tribute to the man who spent the last two decades sitting on the This Morning sofa, Phillip Schofield.’
Dermot continued: ‘So, as a show, everyone on and off screen at ITV, and This Morning, want to say a huge thank you to Phil for what he’s done to make this show such a success over the last 21 years.’
Alison chimed in once again to state: ‘Quite simply, we all know he’s one of the best live television broadcasters this country has ever had. And we and all the team wish him all the best for the future.’
Dermot then explained that Holly would be back in two weeks’ time on Monday June 5.
Metro.co.uk has contacted ITV for comment and representatives for Phillip Schofield for comment.
This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV.
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‘I, too, was deprived of saying goodbye to my GMB audience,’ Piers said.
