Former This Morning host Eamonn Holmes has alleged there was a “total cover-up” at the show with regard to Phillip Schofield’s affair with a younger colleague.
Last week, Phillip made headlines when he announced he was resigning from ITV effective immediately after admitting to the affair, which took place while he was still married.
He said on Friday: “Whilst I met the man when he was a teenager and was asked to help him to get into television, it was only after he started to work on the show that it became more than just a friendship.
“That relationship was unwise, but not illegal. It is now over.”
Phillip added: “I am painfully conscious that I have lied to my employers at ITV, to my colleagues and friends, to my agents, to the media and therefore the public and most importantly of all to my family. I am so very, very sorry, as I am for having been unfaithful to my wife.
“I have therefore decided to step down from the British Soap Awards, my last public commitment, and am resigning from ITV with immediate effect expressing my immense gratitude to them for all the amazing opportunities that they have given me.”
During a conversation about the scandal on GB News on Monday, Eamonn alleged: “It’s a total cover-up. Those in authority had to know what was going on and they thought they would dodge a bullet with this.”
Speaking to broadcaster Dan Wootton – a former journalist at The Sun who previously appeared on ITV’s Lorraine – Eamonn continued: “Which they do, and they do constantly, because with Schofield talking about those who speak out against him, namely me, Amanda Holden and you, you’ll be included in the toxicity that goes on. Dr Ranj, of course, as well.
“And you simply sit there and think ‘No mate, you’ve had it all your way for too long’.”
ITV confirmed on Saturday night that “when rumours of a relationship between Phillip Schofield and an employee of ITV first began to circulate in early 2020 ITV investigated”.
A spokesperson added: “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.”
HuffPost UK has contacted ITV for additional comment regarding Eamonn’s latest allegations about the show.
Since then, former This Morning contributor Dr Ranj Singh alleged there had been a “toxic” environment on the daytime show when he left, which Phillip refuted in a subsequent statement of his own.
“Following a complaint made by Dr Ranj, we appointed an external and independent advisor to carry out a review,” an ITV spokesperson said.
“This external review found no evidence of bullying or discrimination.”
Meanwhile, Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary opened Monday’s show by briefly addressing the ongoing headlines about This Morning.