ALISON Hammond is among top ITV talent that are feared to quit ITV over the networks handling of the Phillip Schofield scandal, with one star drafting a resignation statement, Politicalite can reveal.
A top ITV source exclusively told Politicalite last night: “Keep an eye on movements of other ITV Talent next week.”
“They may be about to stage a walk out.”
It comes as no presenters have been named for Mondays show – due to be hosted by Alison and Dermot O’Leary.
HOLLY HITS BACK AT PHIL
HOLLY Willoughby hit back at Phillip Schofield on Saturday and said her former co-host “directly” lied to her about his affair with a younger male colleague.
The ‘This Morning‘ presenter has broken her silence after her former co-host sensationally resigned from ITV and was dropped by his agent on Friday after he confessed to lying about the affair and claims that she was deceived by Schofield.
Holly, 42, wrote on Instagram: “It has taken time to process yesterday’s news.
“When reports of this friendship first surfaced, I asked Phil directly if this was true and was told it was not.
“It’s been very hurtful to now find out this was a lie.”
ITV confirmed on Saturday that they had investigated claims of an affair between Schofield and his colleague but both had denied it after rumours about the relationship first emerged in 2020.
A spokesperson for the broadcaster: “Further to our statement last 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.
“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.”
Schofield, 61, quit ‘This Morning’ last week amid his alleged strained relationship with Willoughby and apologised for lying about the “unwise” affair in a statement to the Daily Mail newspaper.
He said: “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.”
More follows.
