Phillip Schofield hit by fresh blow as three more brands shun ex-ITV presenter
Phillip Schofield boxed-wine range has been dealt a final hammer blow
When in Rome
Brands that once profited from Phillip Schofield’s image are quickly distancing themselves from the now disgraced former This Morning presenter.
Firms are cutting ties after Schofield, 61, left ITV with immediate effect and was dropped by talent agency YMU after admitting to a relationship with a younger man, a notion he had previously denied.
In the wake of the unfolding controversy, used car buying company WeBuyAnyCar have been careful to surreptitiously wash their YouTube page of any Schofield adverts and subtly scrub their social media clean from the presenter’s image.
Over a five year partnership with the brand, Schofield was reportedly paid £1million a year to front campaigns for WeBuyAnyCar, many of which have aged poorly such as those that encouraged the public to be "more like Phillip Schofield".
Phillip Schofield described affair as "unwise but not illegal"
PA / ITVReferring to Schofield as “the most loved man in Britain,” one WeBuyAnyCar ad showed a statue of Schofield being unveiled prompting one of the actors to ask: “Why is he topless?” to which the voiceover replies “Who cares!”
The brand allowed Schofield’s contract to lapse last autumn, around the same time he and co-host Holly Willoughby hopped the 14 hour queue to see the Queen lying in state.
The scandal prompted the public to poke fun through ‘We Jump Any Queue’ jabs, though a spokesperson for WeBuyAnyCar said at the time: “The decision was made prior to any recent stories regarding Phillip.”
Any evidence of the partnership was removed this week.
Schofield was last night also dropped as an ambassador from The Prince’s Trust, a charity founded by King Charles in 1976.
WeBuyAnyCar's advert has backfired for the phrase 'be more Phil'
WeBuyAnyCar
A Prince's Trust spokesperson explained: “In light of Phillip’s recent admissions, we have agreed with him that it is no longer appropriate to work together.”
All mentions of Phillip Schofield have also been airbrushed from the Craft Gin Club’s website, with links to ‘Schofield’s Gin Blog’ and Schofe’s Winter and Christmas gins being replaced with a “Whoops! We can’t find that page” message.
The TV presenter had previously featured in Craft Gin Club’s promotional videos, most of which can still be found online though some appear to have been taken down or had public access blocked.
In a similarly silent disassociation, sustainable wine company When in Rome, which partnered with Schofield on a boxed-wine range, has removed Schofield-related products from its website.
Schofield hung out to dry by gin company
Craft Gin Club
Launched in 2020, the range featured Nero de Troia red, Falanghina white, and rosato made at the Viticultori d”Italia cooperative in Soave.
Schofield’s goon was deemed so low quality that it was widely mocked, axed by Waitrose in October 2022 and deemed ‘undrinkable’ by Jeremy Clarkson in December 2022.
In response, Rob Malin, CEO of When in Rome, told the Drink’s Business in September 2022 that it “acknowledge(s) that there have been some negative reviews on the Phillip Schofield range since its launch, but these have been balanced out by a far larger number of positive reviews.
“And of course we think the recent Bronze award from the IWSC for our Phillip Schofield Falanghina speaks for itself – the first award ever won by a wine in a box.”
Both WeBuyAnyCar and When in Rome refused to comment when approached by GB News, while the Craft Gin Club have been approached for comment.
Attention has also turned to ITV execs, as insiders have attacked 'woke bosses' who have Schofield 'whatever he wanted'.