Phillip Schofield – live: ITV boss Dame Carolyn McCall says Schofield’s lover denied affair 12 times

Former presenter Schofield resigned from ITV after admitting to an ‘unwise but not illegal’ affair with a younger male colleague

A timeline of the Phillip Schofield controversy

ITV boss Dame Carolyn McCall appeared before a parliamentary committee today (Wednesday 14 June) to answer questions about the broadcaster’s approach to safeguarding and complaint handling after former employee Phillip Schofield’s exit from This Morning.

The chief executive faced questions from MPs on the This Morning row at a session of the Culture, Media, and Sport Committee. This comes after former presenter Schofield, 61, resigned from ITV and was dropped by his talent agency YMU after admitting to an “unwise but not illegal” affair with a younger male colleague.

Since Schofield’s resignation, This Morning has been plagued with allegations of “toxicity”. McCall vehemently denied this during the committee hearing and detailed how ITV bosses had repeatedly questioned Schofield and his lover about rumours of their affair.

The show’s former resident doctor Ranj Singh hit out at a “toxic” culture last month, saying he raised concerns about “bullying and discrimination” two years ago when he worked there – and afterwards felt like he was “managed out” for whistleblowing.

Key Points

• ITV chief asked to face MP questions about Philip Schofield and This Morning scandal
• ITV orders review into Phillip Schofield’s departure from This Morning
• Who is presenting This Morning with Holly Willoughby after Phillip Schofield’s departure?
• From Piers Morgan to Eamonn Holmes: Celebrities who weighed in on Phillip Schofield’s This Morning and ITV exit

[14 June 2023 05:08 · Isobel Lewis]

ITV’s Dame Carolyn McCall faces MPs’ questions over Phillip Schofield exit

ITV chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall is facing questions from MPs about the scandal surrounding This Morning after Phillip Schofield’s controversial exit from the programme.

Shortly after his initial exit from This Morning amid a rumoured feud with co-presenter Holly Willoughby, Schofield admitted to lying about his affair with a former runner of the show in 2020 in a statement to the Daily Mail.

Schofield resigned from ITV and stepped down as the host of the British Soap Awards on 26 May, with the presenter being replaced by Jane McDonald.

Now, McCall is appearing before a session of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee today to give evidence about how much ITV bosses knew regarding the situation.

News that McCall will testify before MPs came after ex-This Morning host Eamonn Holmes accused ITV of “covering up” for Schofield.

[14 June 2023 13:00 · Isobel Lewis]

Amanda Holden condemns ‘utter rubbish’ claims of ‘rift’ with Holly Willoughby

Last week, Amanda Holden rubbished claims that she was in a feud with This Morning host Holly Willoughby, saying: “There have been some huge assumptions made this week.”

Jacob Stolworthy reports:

[14 June 2023 12:40 · Isobel Lewis]

Video: ITV ‘funding counselling for Phillip Schofield’ after resignation

During the committee hearing, Carolyn McCall said that ITV was funding counselling service for Phillip Schofield following his departure, on his request.

[14 June 2023 12:20 · Isobel Lewis]

Dame Carolyn McCall’s closing comments in full

Following the closing comments from the chair, ITV boss Carolyn McCall said: “I don’t know if I’m allowed to say anything at the end of this to what you’ve just said, but I think in every single thing we’ve said, we’ve told you we’ve taken this seriously. And it has been about Phillip Schofield and Person X. We’ve spent an awful lot of time talking about that, and that is absolutely fine.

“We will take every allegation about our culture seriously, but I think it would be very wrong to depict ITV as having an issue on that. We have given you a whole load of tangible evidence that we take it very seriously, that we will listen, that we will act. And we will not quite for the KC. We will be doing, as we always do, looking at what we do and trying to improve it.

“Thank you very much for listening to us and giving us the opportunity to put some facts straight.”

[14 June 2023 12:06 · Isobel Lewis]

“Do you think you should keep your job?” McCall is asked.

“I do,” she replies.

[14 June 2023 12:05 · Isobel Lewis]

Asked about her pay, Carolyn McCall says that she receives a base salary of under £1 million, with additional long-term and short-term bonuses.

[14 June 2023 12:04 · Isobel Lewis]

Carolyn McCall has defended Love Island, after being asked about the deaths by suicide of Caroline Flack and two former contestants.

She says that mental health charities would attest that suicide cannot be linked to one event, and that ITV has drastically improved their duty-of-care procedures for islanders since 2018.

[14 June 2023 11:59 · Isobel Lewis]

Asked about comments made by Caroline Flack’s family that ITV treats its talent like “commodities”, Carolyn McCall says: “We would really not want to treat anyone like a commodity.”

Kevin Lygo agrees, saying that “nobody would agree” with that statement.

[14 June 2023 11:57 · Isobel Lewis]

Discussing recent allegations made by The X Factor contestant Rebecca Ferguson about her treatment on the show in 2010, McCall stressed that they broadcast, but not make the talent competition.

She adds that their duty-of-care requirements of producers have increased since 2019.

Kyla Mullins says that ITV looked into Ferguson’s complaints when they were made in 2021, with production company Fremantle stating things had “moved on significantly” since then.

[14 June 2023 11:44 · Isobel Lewis]

Carolyn McCall seems shocked by suggestion ITV staff referred to daytime viewers as “Towerblock Tracys”.

She denies, saying: “I have never heard that.”