27 May 2023 , 21:37
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Eight ITV stars raised concerns of Phillip Schofield's 'toxic behaviour', a new report has claimed.
Phillip, 61, posted a statement on Instagram last weekend announcing he was leaving This Morning after days of speculation about a feud between him and Holly, 42, who he has co-hosted the ITV show alongside for 13 years.
One week later, the former This Morning star dropped a bombshell revelation, confessing to an affair with a much younger member of ITV staff while he was still married, which he said was "unwise" but "not illegal".
Since Phil's admission Holly has said that Phillip 'lied' to her about his affair with the young ITV staff member in a statement.
She wrote: "It's taken time to process yesterday's news.
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"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. Holly."
(ITV)Holly isn't the only one to have called out Phillip, with former This Morning star Eamonn Holmes calling his former co-host a 'liar' and a 'toxic' person.
Both Kim Woodburn and Katie Hopkins have also hit out at Phillip after he admitted the affair but refused to name his former colleague, with whom he had a relationship with.
Following Phillip's bombshell workplace affair, journalist Dan Wootton has now claimed that eight unnamed ITV stars had previously 'raised concerns' about Phillip's 'toxic behaviour' at ITV.
The journalist has claimed that several ITV stars knew of Phillip's affair, and made raised their concerns to ITV bosses, however, it remained 'under a cloud'.
Wootton also claimed that he himself complained about the situation to ITV.
"I was executive editor of The Sun at that point and had spoken to eight household name ITV stars who were raising concerns about Phillip's 'toxic' behaviour, specifically the inappropriate relationship with the man," Wootton wrote in his Mail Online column.
"Surely, at the very least, I pushed ITV's Group Corporate Affairs and Communications Director Paul Moore, ITV has a duty to investigate the information we were presenting to him? What harm is there in establishing the facts to ensure duty of care to their young staff member? But he made it clear the broadcaster had no intention of doing so."
Phillip confessed to having an affair with a young ITV staff member (REX)The Mirror has reached out to ITV for comment.
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ITV claimed earlier today they launched and investigation into the alleged affair but were "lied" to about it.
The statement read: "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."
A previous statement from ITV said the broadcaster was "deeply disappointed" by the "admissions of deceit".
"The relationships we have with those we work with are based on trust," they added.
"Phillip made assurances to us which he now acknowledges were untrue and we feel badly let down."
On Friday night Phillip admitted to having an affair with the younger male This Morning employee, while he was still married, in a bombshell statement.
The TV presenter – who quit his 20 year run on This Morning last week – said the relationship occurred during his 30 year marriage to Stephanie Lowe, with whom he shares two daughters.
Phillip covered up the fling for years, which he said was in a bid to "protect" his former colleague, but insists the relationship was not 'illegal'.
The former This Morning star confessed he had lied to ITV, his colleagues, his agent and his family and friends.
"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," Phillip began.
"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."
The former This Morning star went on: "When I chose to come out I did so entirely for my own wellbeing. Nobody 'forced' me out. Neither I nor anyone else, to my knowledge, has ever issued an injunction, super or otherwise, about my relationship with this colleague, he was never moved on or sacked by or because of me.
Holly Willoughby has said that she was 'lied to' by Phillip (ITV/Shutterstock)"In an effort to protect my ex-colleague I haven't been truthful about the relationship. But my recent, unrelated, departure from This Morning fuelled speculation and raised questions which have been impacting him, so for his sake it is important for me to be honest now.
"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.
"I have therefore decided to step down from the British Soap Awards, my last public commitment, and am resigning from ITV with immediate effect expressing my immense gratitude to them for all the amazing opportunities that they have given me.
"I will reflect on my very bad judgement in both participating in the relationship and then lying about it.
"To protect his privacy, I am not naming this individual and my deepest wish is that both he and his family can now move on with their lives free from further intrusion, and that this statement will enable them to do so. I ask the media now to respect their privacy. They have done nothing wrong, and I ask that their privacy should be respected."
Following his confession, Phillip's agency YMU cut ties with Phil.
Mary Bekhait, Group CEO of YMU, said: "This week, we have learned important new information about our client Phillip Schofield. These facts contradicted what Phillip had previously told YMU, as well as the external advisors we had brought in to support him.
"As a result, on Thursday we agreed to part company with Phillip, with immediate effect."