Eamonn Holmes has accused Phillip Schofield of “toxicity” in a bombshell interview.
On Friday, the 61-year-old released a statement to The Daily Mail, in which he revealed he and the man struck up a relationship which was more than a friendship, describing it as “unwise but not illegal”.
The relationship in question occurred while Phillip was still married to his wife of 30 years – Stephanie Lowe.
Phillip parted ways with ITV and his management agency YMU altogether – just days after announcing his immediate departure from This Morning.
ITV were later forced to deny claims they had prior knowledge of the affair.
In a statement, the broadcaster said: “Further to our statement [on Saturday] 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,” the spokesperson for ITV continued.
“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.”
In a bombshell new interview with Dan Wootton, Eamonn alleged: “It’s a total cover up.”
“Those in authority had to know, had to know, what was going on.”
“They thought they dodged a bullet with this which 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], you’ll be included in the toxicity that goes on… Dr Ranj [Singh] of course as well,” Eamonn continued.
“And you simply sit there and think ‘no mate, you’ve had it all your way for too long’.”
In a statement shared to his Instagram story on Monday, Phillip addressed claims of a “toxic culture” on This Morning.
“Now I no longer work on @thismorning I am free to say this,” the 61-year-old began. “I hope you have noticed that it’s the same handful of people with a grudge against me or the show who seem to have the loudest voice.”
Phillip’s statement continued: “This morning IS the best show to work on, with the best people. In all the years I worked there there was no toxicity. You can listen to those persistently loud voices if you like.”
“But the thousands of guests over the years, thousands of staff and crew, hundreds of presenters and contributors all know, it IS a family of wonderful, talented, kind, hard working people.”
However, Eamonn disputes this, telling interviewer Dan: “I think that Phillip is absolutely right about toxicity. But my friend, the toxicity is not with me, Dan Wootton, or anyone else, the toxicity is with you.”
“Holy God,” the Belfast native added. “What planet does this man live on?”
“He created an atmosphere where people hated him,” Eamonn continued. “People would avoid him in the corridor – he didn’t look at anybody.”
“He didn’t know anybody’s name. Holly [Willoughby] doesn’t know people’s names either.”
Eamonn believes Holly should “follow closely out the door” of This Morning, and predicted she won’t make her scheduled return to show on Monday, June 5.
“I don’t think you will ever see Holly Willoughby back on the couch.”
Goss.ie has reached out to ITV for comment.
On Friday, Phillip confessed that he lied about his affair with a younger man to ITV, his colleagues, his friends and his agents at YMU.
The TV personality also confessed to lying to The Mail on Sunday, which published the story earlier this month.
Phillip’s original statement read: “I am making this statement via the Daily Mail to whom I have already apologised personally for misleading, through my lawyer who I also misled, about a story which they wanted to write about me a few days ago.”
“The first thing I want to say is: I am deeply sorry for having lied to them, and to many others about a relationship that I had with someone working on This Morning. 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.”
“When I chose to come out I did so entirely for my own wellbeing. Nobody “forced” me out. Neither I nor anyone else, to my knowledge, has ever issued an injunction, super or otherwise, about my relationship with this colleague, he was never moved on or sacked by or because of me.”
“In an effort to protect my ex-colleague I haven’t been truthful about the relationship,” Phillip’s statement continued.
“But my recent, unrelated, departure from This Morning fuelled speculation and raised questions which have been impacting him, so for his sake it is important for me to be honest now.”
Phillip continued: “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.”
The 61-year-old also revealed that he has quit ITV altogether, stating: “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.”
“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.”
Holly, who is currently on a week’s break from her This morning hosting duties, broke her silence on Phillip’s admission on Saturday.
In a statement shared via her Instagram story, Holly said: “It’s taken time to process yesterday’s news.”
“When reports of this relationship first surfaced, I asked Phil directly if this was true and was told it was not.”
“It’s been very hurtful to find out this was a lie. Holly x.”
