ITV insists This Mornings future isnt under review despite reports

Phillip Schofield: Esther McVey questions This Morning’s future

ITV bosses have dismissed reports This Morning is facing the axe. It comes as the flagship television show has been rocked by the shock exit of presenter Philip Schofield.

One source shockingly claimed the programme’s future was “hanging by a thread” after the 61-year-old presenter quit. Schofield later stood down from all of his ITV committments after it was revealed he had an affair with an 18-year-old male colleague while still married to his wife.

A report in The Mirror said ITV chief executive Carolyn McCall was considering pulling the plug entirely on This Morning in the wake of the drama. She is believed to consider the show “toxic”.

While the Sun on Sunday claimed the presenters on the show are “unsure of their next move”. ITV bosses have however told Express.co.uk that the show is not set for the chop.

Read more: ITV makes decision over next week’s This Morning shows after Schofield affair

A spokesman for the channel said: “This Morning is not under review and there’s no plans for the show to be axed. This Morning will return on Monday.”

Rumours of an affair between Mr Schofield and a male colleague first surfaced in 2020. ITV, however, said both the broadcasting veteran and his younger colleague denied the relationship.

The broadcaster said on Saturday: “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 [Mr Schofield’s agent] YMU, to the media and to others over this relationship.

“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 [Mr Schofield’s agent] YMU, to the media and to others over this relationship.”

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Co-presenter Holly Willoughby broke her silence on Saturday evening, after the bombshell revelations hit the press the previous eveing.

Taking to Instagram, the host said: “It has 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 now find out that this was a lie.”

Mr Schofield quit ITV on Friday, when he admitted to have been in a “consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague at This Morning”. The relationship, he said, was “unwise, but not illegal” and is now over.

Admitting he had previously lied about his affair, he said in the past he hadn’t been “truthful” to protect the now ex-colleague, before adding: “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.”

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