Phillip Schofield admits affair with young This Morning runner during marriage as he apologises for 'lying'

26 May 2023, 18:52 | Updated: 30 May 2023, 07:41

Phillip has quit ITV and been dropped from his agency.
Phillip has quit ITV and been dropped from his agency. Picture: Alamy/getty

By Jenny Medlicott

Phillip Schofield has admitted to an affair with a young This Morning runner as he announces he's quitting ITV.

His management agency YMU has also announced it has 'parted company' with the embattled star with 'immediate effect'.

It comes after Phil, aged 61, announced on Instagram last week that he would be stepping down from This Morning after 13 years of co-hosting with Holly Willoughby, as the pair's friendship was reportedly in turmoil.

Read More: 'There's no way back...it's over': Phillip Schofield 'no longer has a career' as insiders say he will 'vanish' from public life

He said in a statement: "I did have a consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague at This Morning. 

"Contrary to speculation, 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. 

"In an effort to protect my ex-colleague I haven't been truthful about the relationship.

"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.

Listen and subscribe to Unprecedented: Inside Downing Street on Global Player

Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield became one of ITV's most-loved TV pairs.
Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield became one of ITV's most-loved TV pairs. Picture: Alamy
There was reportedly conflict between him and his former co-host, Holly.
There was reportedly conflict between him and his former co-host, Holly. Picture: Alamy

Read more: Why did Phillip Schofield leave This Morning?

Read more: Phillip Schofield 'axed minutes after going off air from This Morning' but calls 'truce' with Holly Willoughby

Read more: Phillip Schofield ‘completely broken’ after being axed from This Morning amid feud with Holly Willoughby

"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.

"I will reflect on my very bad judgement in both participating in the relationship and then lying about it."

He was dropped from his agency on Thursday.

YMU wrote in a statement: "Honesty and integrity are core values for YMU’s whole business, defining everything we do. Talent management is a relationship based entirely on trust.

"This week, we have learned important new information about our client Phillip Schofield. These facts contradicted what Phillip had previously told YMU, as well as the external advisors we had brought in to support him.

“As a result, on Thursday we agreed to part company with Phillip, with immediate effect.”

Phillip stepped down after rumours between the pair.
Phillip stepped down after rumours between the pair. Picture: Getty

He parted with the management team after 35 years.

Schofield has announced his resignation from ITV altogether despite reports the channel had offered him a prime time show to present.

Phil stepped down from This Morning on Saturday after the reported conflict between him and Holly Willoughby.

He wrote in a statement: "I understand that ITV has decided the current situation can't go on and I want to do what I can to protect the show that I love.

"So I have agreed to step down from This Morning with immediate effect, in the hope that the show can move forward to a bright future."

"I’d like to thank everyone who has supported me — especially This Morning’s amazing viewers — and I’ll see you all for the Soap Awards next month."

However the former ITV presenter confirmed in his updated announcement today he will no longer be attending the Soap Awards.

Reacting to his resignation from This Morning, Holly said last week: “It’s been over 13 great years presenting This Morning with Phil and I want to take this opportunity to thank him for all of his knowledge, his experience and his humour. The sofa won’t feel the same without him.”

The show lost 170,000 viewers following the reported conflict between the two, as viewers noticed an on-screen tension after the presenting pair made their first joint appearance following the feud rumours.

According to The Sun: “No decisions have been made about who will sit alongside Holly for the long-term.”

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Ivan Juric

Ivan Juric leaves Southampton after record-breaking Premier League relegation

Exclusive
Sadiq Khan has told LBC he won't take any action after a video emerged of a man taking crack cocaine on the Underground.

Sadiq Khan tells LBC he won’t take any action after man filmed smoking crack on the Tube

Emergency ambulances waiting outside the Whittington Hospital in Archway, Islington, London, UK

Patients miss vital prescription medicine while waiting in A&E - with long waiting times making things worse

Outrage as rescued surfer sets up fundraiser for new wetsuit - rather than RNLI

Outrage as rescued surfer sets up fundraiser for new wetsuit - rather than RNLI

Police officer driving van that followed two teens before fatal e-bike crash will not face charges

Police officer driving van that followed two teens before fatal e-bike crash will not face charges

Boris Johnson bitten by ostrich at safari park

Watch as Boris Johnson swears loudly as he is attacked by ostrich

'Con Mum' has been charged with fraud

British 'Con Mum', 84, charged with £115k fraud after being accused of massive scam on son in Netflix doc

Exclusive
James Reed

Redundancies 'a clear and present danger', top recruiter warns, as 'jobs tax' kicks in and tariffs spark market chaos

Markets have been plunged into turmoil by Trump's tariffs

'Economic nuclear winter' ahead if US doesn't axe tariffs, Trump-backing billionaire warns as markets plunge again

Hollywood icon Mickey Rourke and Tory MP Michael Fabricant to join all-star Celebrity Big Brother line-up

Hollywood icon Mickey Rourke and Tory MP Michael Fabricant to join all-star Celebrity Big Brother line-up

Keiron Charles

Two teenage boys charged with murder after 17-year-old boy stabbed to death in west London

John's loveable character Charlie kicked off a whirlwind romance with Rovers Return landlady Bet Gilroy (played by Julie Goodyear)

Coronation Street star's sudden death at 72 - as family pay tribute to 'gentleman' actor

LBC News launches new weekday schedule with new presenter line-up

LBC News launches new weekday schedule with new presenter line-up

Heidi Alexander has said that smoking crack cocaine on the Tube is 'unacceptable'

'Smoking crack cocaine on the Tube is unacceptable', Transport Secretary says as shocking images surface

David Beckham & LA Galaxy Visits Shanghai

David Beckham's former bodyguard Craig Ainsworth found dead in Spain following hunt for war veteran

FTSE 100 dropped again on opening

FTSE plummets 6% after Trump refuses to back down on tariffs, with global markets in turmoil