Phillip Schofield: Timeline of ITV departure after colleague affair and Willoughby ‘rift’ | Ents & Arts News

Phillip Schofield has left ITV and won’t current The British Cleaning soap Awards after admitting to an affair with a youthful colleague.

Schofield revealed the relationship in a statement to the Daily Mail newspaper on Friday.

The 61-year-old – who has additionally cut up from his agent – described his relationship with the person as “unwise, however not unlawful”.

The admission comes after the presenter departed This Morning with “rapid impact” following hypothesis over his relationship with co-host Holly Willoughby.

Schofield said he understood ITV had decided “the current situation cannot go on”.

Willoughby launched a brief assertion, saying the sofa would not be the same without him.

The pair was agency mates, with their households even taking annual holidays collectively.

Sky Information takes a have a look at how their relationship began and the place the cracks began to point out.

Monday, 29 Could: Minutes earlier than This Morning begins, Schofield hits out at “the identical handful of individuals with a grudge in opposition to me or the present”.

An hour later, a tweet from former colleague Eamonn Holmes describes him as “delusional” and a “liar”, including that he has “picked the unsuitable individual… should you’re in search of a battle”.

Presenters Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary additionally reference the scandal on air, acknowledging they “occur to be within the information in the meanwhile” and say they “love making the present”.

Sunday, 28 Could: Former This Morning resident physician Ranj Singh claims “the problems with This Morning go far past” Schofield and describes it as “poisonous”. He says he “took his considerations proper to the highest of ITV”, however a spokesperson replies that whereas the broadcaster was “sorry” to listen to his feedback, an invesitgation discovered no proof of bullying.

Saturday, 27 Could: ITV releases a press release saying it investigated “rumours of a relationship” between Schofield and a youthful worker – however the pair “repeatedly denied” the affair.

Holly Willoughby also accuses Schofield of lying to her concerning the affair. “When reviews of this relationship first surfaced, I requested Phil immediately if this was true and was informed it was not,” she wrote on Instagram. “It has been very hurtful to now discover out that this was a lie.”

Friday, 26 Could: Schofield releases statement admitting affair with “much younger man” and asserting he’s stepping down from ITV and won’t be concerned within the British Cleaning soap Awards.

Monday, 22 Could: Presenters Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary pay tribute to Schofield within the first present since he introduced his exit – describing him as “among the finest dwell tv broadcasters this nation has ever had”, and “wishing him all the very best for the longer term”.

Sunday, 21 Could: It’s introduced Hammond and O’Leary will take over presenting duties for Monday’s programme. Willoughby is to stay on the present however will take early half-term vacation go away earlier than she is anticipated to return on 5 June, ITV says.

Saturday, 20 Could: The presenter declares he’s stepping down from This Morning with rapid impact after greater than 20 years on the programme.

Monday, 15 Could: As rumours intensify, Schofield and Willoughby placed on a united entrance on the present – however viewers are involved by the pair discussing headlines however failing to deal with the continued “feud.”

Thursday, 11 Could: Amid ongoing hypothesis about their cooling relationship, Schofield hails Willoughby as his “rock” whereas admitting “the previous few weeks have not been straightforward for both of us”.

In a press release, Schofield told The Sun newspaper: “As I’ve stated earlier than, Holly is my rock. We’re the very best of mates – as at all times, she is an unbelievable help on display, behind the scenes and on the telephone.

“Holly has at all times been there for me, by thick and skinny. And I have been there for her.”

Wednesday, 10 Could: The Solar reviews Schofield and Willoughby are “barely talking” – citing “insiders” who claimed their relationship had “cooled” and points had “rumbled for a while”.

Monday, 17 April: The primary present after the Easter break ought to have seen each hosts again on the sofa after Schofield took go away whereas his brother, Timothy, was on trial for child sexual offences.

However whereas Schofield thanks followers for his or her help as he returned to This Morning for the primary time since his paedophile sibling was convicted, Willoughby is absent.

She declares she has shingles and will probably be away from the show for per week.

Following his brother’s conviction, Schofield brands the crimes “despicable” and says: “So far as I’m involved, I now not have a brother.”

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The co-hosts’ previous relationship

2006: The pair first work collectively on ITV’s Dancing On Ice.

2009: Willoughby joins ITV’s This Morning, changing Fern Britton. In his memoir, Schofield pinpointed a row between the co-hosts over the content material of a present because the catalyst for Britton’s departure.

2011: Willoughby leaves Dancing On Ice and begins presenting The Voice, then on BBC1.

2017: Willoughby reportedly negotiates a pay rise to match Schofield’s wage of £600,000. She was reportedly on round £400,000 earlier than that.

2018: Willoughby returns to Dancing On Ice.

2020: Schofield comes out as gay after 27 years of marriage.

Willoughby interviews him about it on This Morning, telling him: “I will probably be by your aspect without end.”

She additionally posts {a photograph} of the 2 of them on Instagram, and writes: “By no means been extra happy with my pal than I’m in the present day.”

2022: The pair face accusations of queue jumping at the late Queen’s lying in state. Greater than 37,000 folks signed a petition for them to be axed from This Morning.

Addressing the backlash, the hosts insist they had been solely there in a journalistic capability and adopted the principles set for media.