Millicent Cooke
Phillip Schofield has admitted having an affair with a ‘much younger’ colleague as he quit ITV in a bombshell statement.
The TV presenter, 61, is known for hosting shows such as Dancing on Ice and The Cube.
But he was best known for co-presenting This Morning alongside Holly Willoughby on the channel – which he had done for more than 20 years.
Schofield shocked the nation earlier this week when he announced that he was leaving the daytime show ‘with immediate effect’.
However, he has now dropped another bombshell after admitting to having an affair with a younger man who he helped break into the industry as a teenager.
Schofield has now been dropped by his talent agency YMU and quit ITV – meaning he will no longer host the British Soap Awards next week.
In a shocking statement, Schofield admitted the affair but refused to name his former co-worker.
This Morning is an extremely popular programme and is the most-watched daytime show in the UK on a commercial channel.
It covers a wide range of topics including celebrity interviews, entertainment news, current affairs discussions, a look at sports competitions, health columns, cooking tips and tricks, and more.
According to The Mirror, the star’s former talent agency ditched the star on Thursday – with Schofield later admitting the affair and apologising.
YMU Entertainment and Schofield have now released separate statements about ‘parting company’.
YMU said: “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.”
Related Article: Phillip Schofield Speaks Out After Brother Found Guilty Of S**ually Abusing Teenage Boy
Related Article: Ex-This Morning Star Eamonn Holmes Tears Into Phillip Schofield And Holly Willoughby After Presenter’s Exit
Schofield said: “It is with the most profound regret that after 35 years of being faultlessly managed by YMU I have agreed to step down from their representation with immediate effect.”
In a later statement, which Schofield shared with the press, he admitted to having an affair with a younger ITV employee.
He explained: “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.”
Schofield also revealed that he has quit ITV altogether and will not be hosting the British Soap Awards next week.
The presenter said In a lengthy statement he was ‘deeply sorry’ to his lawyers for ‘misleading’ them on a story that was set to be published earlier this week about the affair.
He added how he had ‘not been truthful’ about the relationship in ‘an effort to protect his ‘ex-colleague’.
Related Article: Fans Pray For Dwayne Johnson As He Shares Heartbreaking Personal Struggle
Related Article: Chris Hemsworth Is ‘Taking A Huge Step Back’ From Acting Following Heartbreaking Diagnosis
Schofield insisted his recent departure from This Morning was ‘unrelated’ but had ‘fuelled speculation and raised questions’ – which has been ‘impacting’ his ex.
He said: “For his sake, it is important for me to be honest now.”
Schofield added how he was ‘painfully conscious’ that he had ‘lied’ to his employers at ITV as well as colleagues, friends, agents, the media, the public and ‘most importantly’ my family’.
He commented: “I am so very, very sorry, as I am for having been unfaithful to my wife.”
Schofield then announced his decision to step down from hosting the British Soap Awards, which he was due to front next week and resigned from ITV ‘with immediate effect’.
The former TV presenter continued: “I will reflect on my very bad judgement in both participating in the relationship and then lying about it.”
He added: “To protect his privacy, I am not naming this individual and my deepest wish is that both he and his family can now move on with their lives free from further intrusion and that this statement will enable them to do so.
“I ask the media now to respect their privacy. They have done nothing wrong, and I ask that their privacy should be respected.”
Watch our Video of the Day below…
Do you have a story for us? If so, email us at [email protected]. All contact will be treated in confidence.
