This Morning staff hit out at 'witch hunt' after no finding of 'toxic culture'

07 December 2023 , 22:14

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Philip and Holly won numerous awards together while presenting the show (Image: PA)

This Morning staff have hit out at the “unfair witch hunt” that has rocked the show after it was cleared yesterday of having a toxic culture.

Sources said there was relief but not surprise at the findings in the external review by Jane Mulcahy KC. The programme had come under fire from MPs and stars such as Dr Ranj, who used to work on it. But Ms Mulcahy said that for the period under review, there was no finding of a toxic culture.

And she found ITV made considerable efforts to seek out the truth on an alleged relationship between Phillip Schofield and a runner on the show in 2019 but was unable to uncover relevant evidence. The 61-year-old, who shares two children with wife Stephanie, left the daytime show in May after he admitted to lying about a past ­relationship with a younger male ex-colleague.

Holly with Philip and his ex-lover

ITV bosses previously said Schofield and his ex-lover repeatedly denied allegations of a relationship until the presenter quit ITV and officially apologised. A This Morning source said: “The claims of toxicity were grossly unfair and super-charged by MPs who were in it to make a name for themselves. Everyone is glad this review has found nothing untoward. People just want to move on but there is a sense of anger about what has unfolded.”

A second source added: “There is relief that we can get on making telly now that this misinformation has been called out.” Chairwoman of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee Dame Caroline Dinenage has previously told a parliament select committee how she and other members had been contacted by a large number of individuals who “raised claims of toxic working cultures, bullying, discrimination and harassment” on ITV daytime shows.

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Phillip with his wife and daughters in 2018 (Doug Peters/EMPICS Entertainment)

Ms Mulcahy interviewed 48 people but Schofield “reluctantly declined” to take part because of the risk to his health, the ­independent report said. “I am informed PS’s mental health has since deteriorated,” the report said. The runner, who has not been named, also declined to participate.

The review found Schofield’s patronage assisted him in his early days at ITV but beyond this the man “seems to have made his way on his own”. It added: “I am satisfied PX’s promotion to a role of production secretary on another daytime programme had nothing to do with PS. Further, the only agreement between ITV and PX under which he was paid any settlement sum was a standard agreement ending the employment relationship dated 31 July 2021. After the story broke in 2019, ITV tried to do everything it could to help PX and provided ­significant ­additional support, even in May 2023 despite his ­employment having ended.”

Only one person interviewed had any knowledge of the affair prior to May 2023, the report said. The ex-junior employee did not report it. The report recommended ITV set out “clear guidelines for its talent going forward to ensure good ­behaviours are observed even by those who are household names”.

Dame Carolyn McCall (Getty Images Europe)

It also emphasised the importance of junior employees having the ­confidence to raise concerns in line with ITV’s Speaking Up policy. The report said: “I have no doubt senior management are absolutely wedded to the importance of an open culture. But this culture is still not filtering down to junior employees, many of whom remain convinced that to speak out will have a ­detrimental impact on their careers.”

Andy Cosslett, chairman of ITV plc, said: “We welcome her recommendations and are already acting on them. We are completely committed to creating an environment where everyone is treated with respect and feels able to give their best.

“Where a complaint is made, or serious concerns raised, we will always investigate and if we find that something inappropriate has happened, we will take action. We will continue to develop our efforts to give junior colleagues the confidence to speak up. I hope the completion of this review allows the team to get back to what they do so well.”

Dame Caroline, who grilled the broadcaster over Schofield’s admission earlier this year, said: “There is a need for ITV to do much more to encourage people to speak out and to support junior staff.”

Schofield’s co-host Holly Willoughby left the show in October. A rotation of presenters have taken the helm, with Rylan Clark and Emma Willis the latest duo to front the show.

Tom Bryant