Phillip Schofield: ITV investigated ‘rumours’ of relationship

ITV has said it investigated “rumours” of a relationship between Phillip Schofield and a younger employee in 2020 – but both “repeatedly denied” it.

Some former ITV daytime figures said the revelations raised questions about how much the network’s managers knew.

But ITV said when it questioned both parties they had denied it.

An ITV spokesperson 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.”

The statement follows comments made by former ITV daytime presenters including Eamonn Holmes and Dan Wootton that the network had questions to answer about how much managers knew about the relationship and what action they took.

Schofield released a statement to the Daily Mail on Friday confirming he had had an affair with a young male employee while he was still married.

He said he was “so, very, very sorry” for being unfaithful to his wife, and for lying to his colleagues, agents, employers, friends, the media and the public about the relationship.

The TV presenter was still married to his wife Stephanie Lowe at the time of the affair. They separated in 2020, after Schofield came out as gay.

The 61-year-old’s exit from the network means he will no longer present the British Soap Awards next month.

He will also not front a new prime-time series which ITV had said last week they were developing with him.

On Friday, Schofield said his departure from the show was unrelated to the affair with the colleague, who the BBC is not naming.