Phillip Schofield ‘took us for fools’, says Eamonn Holmes, as ITV bosses face questions

Fellow former This Morning presenter Eamonn Holmes has stated he and his spouse had been “taken for fools” by Phillip Schofield.

The 63-year-old stated Schofield had informed them “complete lies and we unfortunately believed him”.

Holmes spoke out after veteran broadcaster Schofield admitted having an “unwise, but not illegal” affair with a a lot youthful male ITV worker whereas he was nonetheless married.

He additionally give up all his initiatives with the broadcaster on Friday.

Latest:
ITV investigated affair but pair ‘repeatedly denied’ it

Schofield’s confession to the connection, and that he had lied about it, got here in an announcement printed within the Daily Mail shortly earlier than his brokers additionally revealed they were parting company with him with immediate effect.

ITV stated on Friday it was “deeply disappointed” by the “admissions of deceit” made by Schofield.

Writing on Twitter, Holmes questioned the broadcaster. He stated: “Schofield has finally been caught out… But he’s not the only guilty party. 4 high members of ITV management knew what sort of man he was.”

ITV has since published a statement saying it did examine rumours of the connection however Schofield and the youthful man “repeatedly denied” it.

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Admission should kill off his career – but will his star pals stand by him?

In one other publish, Holmes referred to how Schofield apparently lied to him and his spouse, presenter Ruth Langsford.

He added: “Ruth and I deceived and lied to. One day I will tell the story. We had no issue with him being gay, only support.

“What transpired took us for fools. The man informed us full lies and we sadly believed him.”

Separately, BBC presenter and former ITV newscaster Andrea Catherwood tweeted: “Much more questions on who knew what when at ITV to be answered after this…”

‘It is now over’

Former This Morning star Schofield, 61, left the daytime show last week.

In an announcement on Friday, Schofield stated he was “deeply sorry” for lying about the relationship.

He said: “I did have a consensual on-off relationship with a youthful 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, however not unlawful. It is now over.”

It is known the youthful colleague, who isn’t a public determine, didn’t need the connection to be made public.

Read extra:
Schofield leaves This Morning after more than 20 years
Timeline of departure and rumours of rift with co-host Holly
Statements from presenter and his agents in full

The affair came about earlier than Mr Schofield publicly got here out as homosexual in 2020, and whereas he was nonetheless married to his spouse Stephanie Lowe.

In a damning assertion, his former brokers YMU Group said “honesty and integrity” were core values of their business and that their relationships are “based entirely on trust”.

Schofield’s exit from This Morning got here after weeks of rumours of a rift between him and his co-presenter Holly Willoughby.

Reports of behind-the-scenes issues between the pair surfaced after his brother Tim Schofield was convicted of kid intercourse offences.