Phillip Schofield: 'Woke' ITV CEO told to resign as MPs prepare to grill broadcaster over affair scandal - 'Get out of your ivory tower!'

Phillip Schofield: 'Woke' ITV CEO told to resign as MPs prepare to grill broadcaster over affair scandal - 'Get out of your ivory tower!'
PA / GB News
Ben Chapman

By Ben Chapman


Published: 30/05/2023

- 20:31

Phillip Schofield admitted to an affair with a much younger colleague

The saga surrounding Phillip Schofield should result in the resignation of ITV Chief Executive Carolyn McCall, according to Dan Wootton.

The GB News presenter has called on McCall to come out of her “ivory tower” and address the scandal facing the broadcaster.


It comes as ITV bosses prepare to face MPs over their handling of the presenter’s affair with a much younger employee.

MPs on the House of Commons digital, culture, media and sport select committee are gearing up to question executives about their handling of the scandal on Tuesday next week, The Telegraph has reported.

Phillip SchofieldPhillip Schofield has quit ITVPA

While the session was originally set up to review the draft Media Bill, MPs have said they will be using the hearing to ask questions about safeguarding after Schofield admitted to an affair with a much younger colleague.

ITV admitted it investigated allegations in 2020 about the affair, stating both had “repeatedly denied” the rumours.

Executives are under increasing pressure to explain what they knew about the affair while it took place.

The final line-up for the committee hearing is yet to be confirmed, but ITV are reportedly having to reconsider who they send as a result of a potential probing over Schofield.

A full inquiry could be called should ITV fail to provide acceptable answers about its handling of the issue, MPs reportedly told The Telegraph.

GB News presenter Dan Wootton singled out CEO Carolyn McCall for criticism, saying she should address the scandal publicly.

He told Nigel Farage: “You’ve got this very woke chief executive, Carolyn McCall, who is holier than thou.

“Today I’ve obtained an email sent to Carolyn McCall by a former This Morning staff member in February 2020 revealing all the details about this relationship with the young runner, showing pictures of Phillip and this young man together.

“ITV today refused to tell me if it was that email that prompted their so-called failed investigation, we know it failed because they swallowed the lies from Phillip Schofield.

“She won’t go but she should. This is a woman who has held so many others to account, hasn’t given anyone a second chance, now she thinks she can sit in her ivory tower and hide behind her pathetic statement which has proven to be untrue.

“This is the biggest scandal this broadcaster has faced in a generation.”

Since Schofield’s resignation, This Morning has been plagued by allegations of “toxicity”.

Phillip SchofieldPhillip Schofield revealed he had an 'unwise but not illegal' relationship with a younger member of the This Morning production teamITV

Eamonn Holmes told GB News in an exclusive interview that Holly Willoughby should follow Schofield “out the door” of the show.

Holmes previously presented This Morning on Fridays with wife Ruth Langsford and predicted Willoughby will not return to the sofa.

Speaking to Dan Wootton, Holmes said: “Not only should Phillip go, but Holly should follow him close out the door.

“I don’t think you will ever see Holly Willoughby back on the couch.

“There are people who say for her it’s not about what Phillip did, for her it’s not about protecting the young fellow involved or whatever.

“There are people who are financial experts who will say this is about brand protection with her. She’s got her company and she’s got advertising deals, which suspiciously looks like she’s trying to distance herself from Phillip to protect those.”

On Saturday, an ITV spokesperson said: “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.”

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