Phillip Schofield tells Piers Morgan of utter heartbreak over This Morning exit
The veteran TV presenter, 61, introduced he was stepping down from presenting the ITV discuss present with “immediate effect” over the weekend, whereas it was introduced his co-presenter Holly Willoughby will stay on the present, however is taking early half-term vacation depart.
Alison Hammond and Craig Doyle stepped in to current This Morning on Wednesday, after Hammond and Dermot O’Leary crammed in for the primary two days since Schofield’s departure final Thursday.
Writing in his column for the Sun newspaper, former ITV broadcaster Morgan stated: “I don’t know the full story behind Phillip Schofield’s downfall, but where I feel personal empathy with him is over the manner of his sacking.
“For ITV to not even give him the chance to say a proper goodbye to his large, loyal audience after 21 years struck me as needlessly churlish, and I know he’s utterly heartbroken about it, because he told me himself.”
An ITV Spokesperson stated on Wednesday: “Phillip Schofield’s decision to step down from This Morning was (as his statement made clear) a decision agreed between Phillip and ITV.”
Morgan, who had overcome a “25-year rift” with Schofield, stated the TV presenter was “not the evil monster he’s being painted”, nor was he “the angel his previously halo-clad reputation suggested”.
The 58-year-old wrote: “One thing’s for sure, what’s happened to him is further evidence that the abyss-like depths of ruthless backstabbing in the world of daytime television makes even the seething cesspit of Westminster politics seem like an oasis of loyalty by comparison.
“One minute Schofield was the undisputed king of morning TV and fast heading to bona fide national treasure status, the next he’s a dethroned, shamed, vilified, national disgrace and social media laughing stock.
“And many of those people he mistakenly thought were faithful friends and colleagues have been happily tossing him on the bonfire in a blizzard of lurid leaks, smears and damaging headlines.”
Morgan stated the previous few days with growing news about Schofield have been “brutal to watch” and revealed he had obtained an electronic mail from a former senior ITV govt describing daytime tv as an “absolute nest of vipers with zero loyalty”.
Last Thursday marked Schofield’s final day on the present as he stated he is not going to be returning for a remaining episode.
Schofield’s departure comes after he confronted months of controversy together with studies of a rift together with his long-time co-host Willoughby, his brother’s intercourse abuse trial and a furore over his go to to the late Queen’s lying-in-state.
ITV has stated Willoughby will “co-present with members of the This Morning family” when she returns on Monday June 5.
The broadcaster has been contacted for remark.