New Phillip Schofield details revealed over ITV investigation
Topics: Phillip Schofield, This Morning, TV And Film, Celebrity, ITV
Anish Vij
Featured Image Credit: ITV
Topics: Phillip Schofield, This Morning, TV And Film, Celebrity, ITV
Phillip Schofield 'reluctantly declined' to take part in an external review after his departure from ITV.
The 61-year-old stepped down from ITV in May after admitting to having an affair with a male colleague while still married to his wife.
Schofield had previously stepped down from his role as a presenter on This Morning the same month.
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He was also dropped by his talent agency YMU after admitting to having an 'unwise but not illegal' relationship with a younger male colleague.
After an alleged relationship between Schofield and a runner on This Morning in 2019, ITV was 'unable to uncover the relevant evidence' until the presenter’s own admission in late May 2023, an external review has found.
A report by Jane Mulcahy KC said: “ITV’s management made considerable efforts to determine the truth about an alleged relationship between PS (Schofield) and PX (the runner) following on from the publication of a story in The Sun newspaper in early December 2019.
“However, in the face of the denials of the individuals involved, ITV was unable to uncover the relevant evidence until PS’s admission in late May 2023.”
Ms Mulcahy interviewed 48 people for the review but Schofield 'reluctantly declined' to take part because of 'the risk to his health', the report says.
“I am informed that PS’s mental health has since deteriorated,” the report added.
The runner, who has not been named, also declined to participate.
The report continued: “I am satisfied that PX’s promotion to a role of production secretary on another daytime programme had nothing to do with PS.
“Further, the only agreement between ITV and PX under which he was paid any settlement sum was a standard agreement ending the employment relationship dated 31 July 2021.
“After the story broke in 2019, ITV tried to do everything it could to help PX and provided significant additional support to him, even in May 2023 despite his employment having ended.”
The report recommends that ITV set out 'clear guidelines for its talent going forward to ensure that good behaviours are observed even by those who are household names'.
It also focuses on the importance that, as is in line with ITV’s Speaking Up policy, junior employees have the confidence to raise any issues with higher-ups.
Adding: “I have no doubt that senior management are absolutely wedded to the importance of an open culture.
“But this culture is still not filtering down to junior employees, many of whom remain convinced that to speak out will have a detrimental impact on their careers.”