Inside This Morning team that Phillip Schofield deceived

Phillip Schofield sensationally quit ITV after he admitted to having a relationship with a much younger man and lied about it to his This Morning team.

Staff at the network were left stunned at Schofield’s revelation last night – as well as suspicious of their bosses, questioning what they knew about one of their biggest star’s involvement with the man, who worked on the show. 

ITV said this morning: ‘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.’ 

The broadcaster earlier slammed its former presenter’s ‘admissions of deceit’ – essentially throwing the man who was once its biggest star under the bus.

But an insider told The Sun: ‘This goes right to the top. Very senior heads could roll. If there’s any suggestions of a cover-up they could be culpable. It’s also possible that This Morning could end up getting the axe.’

Here, MailOnline looks at the TV bosses, colleagues and close friends Schofield deceived.

ITV Chief Executive Carolyn McCall 

Chief Executive Carolyn McCall has been at the helm of ITV since 2018 after previously heading up EasyJet and the Guardian Media Group.

The Northern Irish businesswoman became the first female lead at ITV five years ago after turning down a job at M&S.

Ms McCall is understood to have been a close ally of Schofield’s at the broadcaster, and has been publicly supportive of him in the past.

In September, she issued a staunch defence of the This Morning presenter and his co-host Holly Willoughby after the pair were accused of jumping the queue to see Queen Elizabeth II lying in state.

The TV exec at the time blamed ‘minority shrillness that became very very loud and became a story’. 

‘This does show you how things spread and it’s really horrible for them,’ she said in her defense of Schofield and his co-presenter.

‘They are highly relevant, popular and mean very well, and I’m hoping it will just pass.’

Now McCall is facing questions amid a fresh scandal surrounding Schofield, with commentators questioning how much she knew as she stood by him for years. 

Director of Television Kevin Lygo 

Director of Television at ITV, Kevin Lygo (pictured in 2019), who is understood to have been an ally of Schofield 

Another prominent exec, Kevin Lygo, was an ally of Schofield’s and stood by him right until the former This Morning presenter quit the show last week.

Schofield was said to have the ear of Mr Lygo when tensions on the show first emerge, with the director described as ‘incredibly loyal’. 

ITV’s managing director of media and entertainment piled praise on Schofield in the broadcaster’s official statement about his departure.

‘Phillip is hands down one of the best broadcasters of his generation and we thank him for his two decades worth of absolutely terrific television on the This Morning sofa. 

‘This Morning is made by one of the best and most diligent teams in television, who produce over 12 hours of live television each week. 

‘We look forward to continuing our relationship with Phillip starting with The British Soap Awards in June and a brand new peak time series to come’.

After yesterday’s revelation to the Mail about his affair, Schofield has now said he is no longer hosting the Soap Awards and is quitting ITV altogether. 

This Morning editor Martin Frizell 

The This Morning editor Martin Frizell (right), who was for so many years very close to Schofield, and ‘cleared up his messes’ 

Martin ­Frizell, who has been in charge of ITV’s flagship magazine show since 2016, was very close with Schofield for many years.

Following the fallout from Schofield’s departure from the show, Frizell could be in line for the chop, staff told The Mirror. 

But as the feud between Holly and Phil came to a head, there were reports that Mr Frizell was siding with Holly as This Morning’s ‘great hope’.

ITV’s head of daytime Emma Gormley

Emma Gormley, ITV’s head of daytime, oversees all of the channel’s 6am until 6pm programmes

ITV’s head of daytime Emma Gormley is Mr Frizell’s boss at the broadcaster.

She oversees all of the channel’s 6am until 6pm programmes, which include Good Morning Britain, Lorraine and of course, This Morning. 

Schofield is said to have had the support of Ms Gormley in the battle to stay on the show amid his feud with co-host Holly.

Insiders cited Schofield and Ms Gormley as the ‘losers’ in the infighting.

Holly Willoughby

Phillip Schofield has sensationally admitted to having a relationship with a much younger man who worked as a colleague for him on This Morning (pictured with co-host Holly Willoughby)

Holly sat alongside Schofield on daytime TV’s most famous sofa for 13 years.

She also enjoyed a very public friendship with him during that time, and was also close with Schofield’s estranged wife Stephanie, even holidaying with the couple most years. 

The co-stars had previously plastered holiday snaps all over Instagram, showing them doing shots and posing in the sunshine, with Schofield labelling Holly his ‘bestie’. 

He also described her as ‘my rock’ when reports of their feud emerged earlier this month.

When Schofield came out as gay in 2020, Holly wrote on Instagram that she had ‘never been more proud of my friend than I am today’ and was said to have thrown her support behind Stephanie in the lead up to and aftermath of the announcement .

A source said at the time: ‘Holly loves Steph and knows the two of them had been having some really difficult conversations. She was there for them both during this time and would, of course, never betray their confidence.’

Holly was often pictured sharing drinks with the couple at sporting events they attended like Wimbledon and Ascot.

However, the presenter has remained silent since publishing a brief 39-word statement after Schofield’s departure from This Morning last week.

The once inseparable pair had increasingly grown apart in recent months, but the split became final after Mr Schofield failed to tell Ms Willoughby, 42, about his brother’s child sex trial. 

Alison Hammond

Alison and Dermot, who co-host the show on Fridays, have been standing in on This Morning (pictured) after Phillip Schofield left and Holly Willoughby took an early holiday

Rising star Alison Hammond has been tipped to replace Schofield on the This Morning sofa after years of impressing audiences in a secondary role.

A longstanding team member on the show, she has long co-hosted it on a Friday with Dermot O’Leary, and this week the pair took over to stand in for Schofield and Holly, who is on holiday.

On the first show back since Schofield’s shock departure, Alison and Dermot opened the show with a tribute to the former host.

‘We can’t start today’s show without paying tribute to the man who spent the last two decades sitting on the This Morning sofa. Phillip Schofield.’

Dermot added: ‘So as a show, everyone on and off screen at ITV and This Morning on say a huge thank you to Phil for what he’s done to make the show such a success over the last 21 years.’

Alison continued: ‘Quite simply, we all know he’s one of the best live television broadcasters this country has ever had, and we and all the team wish him all the best for the future.’

The star, who has taken TV by storm in recent years thanks to her infectious humour and glowing reputation, has remained tight-lipped off the camera about her former colleague.

Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford

Eamonn Holmes (bottom right) previously presented the show alongside wife Ruth Langsford 

Eamonn Holmes and his wife Ruth Langsford formerly presented on This Morning alongside Schofield.

The 63-year-old broadcaster sensationally claimed bosses knew ‘what kind of man’ Schofield was and did not take action.

Writing on Twitter, Eamonn said: ‘Schofield has finally been caught out… But he’s not the only guilty party. 4 high members of ITV management knew what sort of man he was.’ 

Eamonn continued to make a string of allegations suggesting station bosses knew of claims against Schofield and ‘never once took action’.

Gino D’Acampo

Italian chef Gino D’Acampo has been a fixture of This Morning for years. He has also been taken up the role of ‘agony uncle’

Italian chef Gino D’Acampo has been a fixture of This Morning for years, appearing almost 200 times since he debuted in 2006.

He has helped to create some of the most memorable moments on the show as he whipped up food for its hosts.

He has also been taken up the role of ‘agony uncle’ in This Morning’s phone-in segment, and recently made a gaffe when Schofield told him ‘you can’t say that’ in advice he suggested to a guest.

While the colleagues have worked together for over 15 years, it is not known whether they are friends outside the show. 

Rylan Clark 

Rylan, who has previously co-hosted This Morning with Phillip Schofield, insisted the ‘tide is turning’ on two-faced TV stars in comments made just two weeks ago (pictured in 2019)

Former X Factor star Rylan Clark sometimes stands in on This Morning when Schofield and Holly are away, and has been appearing on the show since 2012.

Rylan Clark shared a cryptic photograph on Friday, just minutes after Phillip Schofield quit ITV. 

The Radio 2 presenter, 34, took to his Instagram Stories where he posted a selfie showing himself with a smug smile while holding up a peace sign with his fingers. 

Just two weeks ago, the TV personality insisted the ‘tide is turning’ on two-faced TV stars.

He told Waitrose & Partners Weekend that viewers can ‘see through’ any facades, without giving any names.

Rylan said: ‘People can see who are the real ones and can very much see who isn’t,; before going on to insist he has always been nice to people throughout his TV career, something he claimed is now ‘paying off’ for him.

‘I’ve been in this industry for nearly 11 years, and all I’ve ever been is nice and polite to people,’ he explained.

‘And that’s starting to pay off for me now, because there are people in this industry who aren’t like that. They think they’re something special. And the walls are starting to fall.’

Alice Beer

Anger: This Morning star Alice Beer has admitted she is ‘sad and ‘angry’ after Phillip Schofield admitted to an affair with a younger colleague

Alice Beer has served as This Morning’s consumer presenter since 2014, working alongside Phillip and Holly Willoughby for almost ten years on the show. 

She admitted today that she is ‘sad and ‘angry’ after Schofield admitted to the affair with a younger colleague.

The breakfast show’s consumer presenter, 58, took to Twitter on Saturday morning to express her dismay at the ‘sorry mess’ engulfing the ITV programme.

Addressing Schofield’s bombshell statement, Alice admitted she was ‘angry’ and said his actions reflect on everyone who works at This Morning. 

She tweeted: ‘Sad and angry. This sorry mess reflects on all of us who have enjoyed the fun and glory of working on such a successful programme.’ 

Rochelle Humes

The Saturdays singer Rochelle Humes is amongst those in the running to replace Phil (pictured here together on the show last month) 

The Saturdays singer Rochelle Humes has regularly sat in for Holly on the This Morning sofa, taking her place as Schofield’s co-host.

Paying tribute to Schofield on Instagram following his exit from the show, Rochelle said he was a ‘fountain of knowledge and laughter’. 

Rochelle and her husband JLS star Marvin Humes, are now amongst those in the running to take over the show, as well as Rylan Clark, Josie Gibson and Gino D’Acampo.