Phillip Schofield denies claims of ‘toxicity’ at This Morning
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hillip Schofield has mentioned there’s “no toxicity” at This Morning and “it’s the same handful of people with a grudge against me or the show who seem to have the loudest voice”.
The veteran presenter, 61, resigned from the broadcaster on Friday and was dropped by his expertise company YMU after admitting to an “unwise, but not illegal” affair with a younger male colleague on This Morning.
It got here after weeks of hypothesis over a feud with former co-host Holly Willoughby.
Former This Morning resident physician Dr Ranj Singh has hit out on the present’s “toxic” tradition, saying he raised issues about “bullying and discrimination” two years in the past when he labored there and afterwards felt like he was “managed out” for whistleblowing.
In a press release on his Instagram story posted shortly earlier than This Morning goes on air with Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond internet hosting, Schofield mentioned: “Now I no longer work on @thismorning I am free to say this.
“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.
“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.”
O’Leary appeared to reference the claims of “toxicity” as he introduced Monday’s episode of the present, saying: “We all know we happen to be in the news at the moment and of course we appreciate that but just from both of us, the whole team here, the crew, the guys downstairs, we love making this show for all of you.”
Co-host Hammond added: “We really do and that’s exactly what we are going to do, we are going to continue to do that.”
Gyles Brandreth, who’s within the studio to evaluation the news tales of the day, mentioned: “We are very happy to be here, can I say that as well?
“This is a happy place to work, I enjoy coming in here and have done since I began coming in. We are happy people in a happy place.”
In a press release on Sunday, Dr Ranj mentioned the “issues” at This Morning go “far beyond” the host.
He mentioned: “I was on the show for 10 years and I genuinely loved and valued working there.
“However, over time, I grew increasingly worried about how things were behind-the-scenes and how people, including myself, were being treated.
“I didn’t know the truth about what was going on with Phillip, but I do know the issues with TM (This Morning) go far beyond him.
“It takes more than one person to create a culture.”
Dr Ranj mentioned he raised his issues with senior executives at ITV as he had been closely concerned in “diversity, anti-bullying and mental health projects” throughout the channel.
“I then found myself being used less and less,” he continued.
“I even took my concerns directly to the top of ITV: the culture at This Morning had become toxic, no longer aligned with ITV values, and I felt like because I whistle-blew I was managed out.
“But as history and experience have taught us, things like bullying and discrimination are very hard to prove, particularly in hindsight and when the ‘people in power’ control the narrative.
“As we’ve seen, no review or investigation is foolproof.”
The physician mentioned he was assured that issues can be addressed and adjustments made however he has not labored on the present since, including it “still hurts” two years on from lodging complaints.
An ITV spokesperson mentioned: “We are sorry to read Dr Ranj’s post today.
“At ITV we are fully committed to providing every opportunity for anyone who works with us to raise any concern or comments they may have.
“Following a complaint made by Dr Ranj, we appointed an external and independent advisor to carry out a review.
“This external review found no evidence of bullying or discrimination.”
According to The Mail On Sunday, Schofield first met the youthful ITV colleague whom he later had an affair with when he was aged 15.
Lawyers representing Schofield have confirmed they met when the boy was 15, however mentioned the affair started after he began working at ITV, and the person’s attorneys have additionally mentioned that it began after he joined the broadcaster.
In a press release on Friday, Schofield mentioned it was when the youthful man joined the present as an grownup that their affair started.
ITV mentioned it investigated “rumours of a relationship” between Schofield and the ITV worker about three years in the past however each events “categorically and repeatedly denied” it.
A spokesperson for the broadcaster mentioned on Saturday that ITV was “not provided with, and did not find, any evidence of a relationship beyond hearsay and rumour” when it regarded into the matter in 2020.