ITV Phillip Schofield investigation ‘unable to uncover’ evidence of affair with PA

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ITV’s overview into Phillip Schofield’s behaviour on This Morning has been revealed after he give up the TV present over allegations surrounding his relationship with a youthful colleague.

The 61-year-old sensationally stepped down from the daytime TV programme and later resigned from ITV after admitting a “consensual on-off relationship” that was “unwise, however not unlawful”.

He apologised for the affair, which occurred whereas he was married to his spouse of 30 years, Stephanie Lowe. ITV subsequently launched a overview into Mr Schofield’s behaviour on the favored morning present.

A report by Jane Mulcahy KC mentioned: “ITV’s administration made appreciable efforts to find out the reality about an alleged relationship between PS (Schofield) and PX (the runner) following on from the publication of a narrative in The Solar newspaper in early December 2019.

“Nonetheless, within the face of the denials of the people concerned, ITV was unable to uncover the related proof till PS’s admission in late Could 2023.”

Mr Schofield “reluctantly declined” to participate in an exterior overview into the circumstances surrounding his departure from ITV due to “the danger to his well being”, the report mentioned.

It added that his psychological well being has since deteriorated. The runner, who has not been named, additionally declined to take part within the overview.

The overview additionally discovered that Schofield‘s patronage of the runner assisted him within the early days of his profession at ITV however past this the person “appears to have made his manner on his personal”.

The report provides: “I’m happy that PX’s promotion to a job of manufacturing secretary on one other daytime programme had nothing to do with PS.

“Additional, the one settlement between ITV and PX below which he was paid any settlement sum was a normal settlement ending the employment relationship dated 31 July 2021.

“After the story broke in 2019, ITV tried to do all the pieces it may to assist PX and supplied important further help to him, even in Could 2023 regardless of his employment having ended.”

Just one particular person interviewed had any data of the affair earlier than Could 2023, the report mentioned. The previous junior worker didn’t report it.

Within the report suggestions, it’s advised that ITV units out “clear tips for its expertise going ahead to make sure that good behaviours are noticed even by those that are family names”.

It additionally emphasises the significance of junior staff at ITV having the boldness to boost considerations to administration in step with ITV’s Talking Up coverage.

The report mentioned: “I’ve little doubt that senior administration are completely wedded to the significance of an open tradition. However this tradition remains to be not filtering all the way down to junior staff, a lot of whom stay satisfied that to talk out could have a detrimental affect on their careers.”

Andy Cosslett, chairman of ITV plc, mentioned in response to the report: “We welcome her suggestions and are already appearing on them.

“We’re fully dedicated to creating an setting the place everyone seems to be handled with respect and feels in a position to give of their finest.

“Our promise to these we work with is that the place a grievance is made, or critical considerations raised, we are going to at all times examine and if we discover that one thing inappropriate has occurred, we are going to take motion.

“We are going to proceed to develop our efforts to offer junior colleagues the boldness to talk up if they’ve one thing to boost.

“I hope that the completion of this overview permits the crew at This Morning to get again to what they achieve this properly, making an excellent present that entertains and informs tens of millions of viewers each week.”

The daytime programme continued to face scrutiny following Mr Schofield‘s departure, with allegations of a “poisonous” setting. Ms Mulcahy mentioned that for the interval below overview, there was no discovering of a “poisonous” tradition.

Mr Schofield‘s co-host Holly Willoughby left the present in October. The 42-year-old presenter mentioned it was an “honour to simply be a part of its story” for 14 years and that she had made “this choice for me and my household”.

On the programme in June, she mentioned the revelations about her on-screen colleague Mr Schofield had left her “shaken, troubled, let down and apprehensive”.

Because the duo’s departure from the programme, Cat Deeley has joined This Morning and will probably be part of a rota of presenters that embody Rylan Clark, Craig Doyle and Alison Hammond.

Further reporting by PA