The 61 year old resigned on Friday following what he called an ‘unwise, but not illegal’ affair
Eamonn Holmes has alleged that there was a âtotal cover-upâ on ITVâs This Morning show over Phillip Schofieldâs affair with a young male colleague.
Schofield, 61, resigned from ITV on Friday and was dropped by his talent agency YMU after admitting to an âunwise, but not illegalâ affair.
Following Schofieldâs resignation, some former This Morning employees have come out to criticise the broadcaster.
The showâs former resident doctor, Dr Ranj Singh, hit out at the daytime showâs âtoxicâ culture, saying he raised concerns about âbullying and discriminationâ two years ago when he worked there and afterwards felt like he was âmanaged outâ for whistleblowing.
Holmes, who previously presented This Morning on Fridays with wife Ruth Langsford, spoke about the affair on Dan Woottonâs GB News show on Monday.
He alleged that âthose in authorityâ had to have known what was going on.
âItâs a total cover-up,â he said.
âThose in authority had to know what was going on and they thought they would dodge a bullet with this.
âWhich they do, and they do constantly, because with Schofield talking about those who speak out against him, namely me, Amanda Holden and you (Dan Wootton), youâll be included in the toxicity that goes on. Dr Ranj, of course, as well.
âAnd you simply sit there and think âNo mate, youâve had it all your way for too longâ.â
On Saturday, ITV said that it had investigated the rumours in early 2020, but Schofield âcategoricallyâ denied that it was true.
âFurther 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,â a spokesperson for the broadcaster said.
âBoth parties were questioned and both categorically and repeatedly denied the rumours as did Phillipâs then agency YMU.
âIn 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.
âPhillipâs 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.â
In an Instagram post earlier on Monday, Schofield hit back at the critics, saying that there was âno toxicityâ on This Morning.
He added: âI hope you have noticed that itâs the same handful of people with a grudge against me or the show who seem to have the loudest voice.â
Referring to those comments, Holmes instead accused Schofield of âtoxicityâ.
âI think that Phillip is absolutely right about toxicity,â he said.
âBut my friend, the toxicity is not with me, Dan Wootton, or anyone else, the toxicity is with you.â
He added that Schofield âcreated an atmosphereâ on This Morning âwhere people hated himâ.
He said: âThis nonsense that he wrote today about toxicity, about how (This Morning) is a happy place or whatever, holy God, what planet does this man live on?
âHe created an atmosphere where people hated him.
âPeople would avoid him in the corridor. He didnât look at anybody, didnât know anybodyâs name.
âHolly doesnât know peopleâs names either. This is legendary within the production team, how distant they are, and how they just donât care.â
Asked after a trailer for the interview had aired but before it had been played out in full at around 10.30pm, a spokesman for Schofield said: âPhillip has no comment.â
ITVâs managing director of media and entertainment refused to answer questions about Schofield after being pursued on the street by a GB News producer.
In a segment broadcast on Dan Woottonâs GB News show on Monday, producer Ben Leo tracked down ITVâs Kevin Lygo and asked him if there was a âcover-upâ of Schofieldâs affair with a young male colleague at the station.
He also asked Mr Lygo if he âprotectedâ Schofield.
Mr Lygo walked away from the producer, telling him: âWe really have no more to say.â
ITV has been approached for comment.
Published: by Radio NewsHub