ITV crisis deepens as Schofield’s ex-lover denies bosses quizzed him around their ‘unwise’ affair

The disaster engulfing This Morning deepened tonight with promises the demonstrate was ‘toxic’ guiding the scenes.

The fallout from Phillip Schofield’s affair with a substantially more youthful colleague widened as the host’s previous lover claimed he experienced not been quizzed about it by ITV, despite the corporation insisting an investigation involving equally males took put.

Calls for an impartial inquiry into the scandal collected speed, with ITV’s most senior bosses below rising pressure to acknowledge what they realized and when about Schofield’s romance.

And tonight Dr Ranj Singh, who was a typical guest on This Early morning, accused the demonstrate of acquiring a ‘toxic’ lifestyle of bullying and discrimination.

The Television health practitioner claimed he had taken his issues to ‘the top’ of ITV but felt he had been ‘managed out’ as he was dropped from screens, raising yet much more concerns for executives. He experienced labored on the show for 10 a long time and experienced even previously co-hosted it. He left in 2021.

Phone calls for an impartial inquiry into the scandal gathered tempo, with ITV’s most senior bosses under escalating tension to confess what they realized and when about Phillip Schofield’s (pictured last week) relationship

‘A great deal of questions’ are going to surround This Morning star Holly Willoughby soon after Phillip Schofield’s affair bombshell

Pixilated photograph of Schofield leaving The Ivy Club with his a lot youthful ex-lover back again in 2017

A weekend of revelations, sparked by Schofield creating an apology to the Day by day Mail on Friday for lying about the affair, included to stress on the channel’s chief govt Dame Carolyn McCall and her director of television, Kevin Lygo, to handle the developing controversy.

It can also be exposed that the ex-lover has vowed to not lie about the partnership, which Schofield explained as ‘unwise but not illegal’ but has still left his 38-calendar year Tv profession in tatters.

Sources advised the Mail the previous manufacturing assistant insists that ‘he was never asked’ about the romance, although a different ITV insider said: ‘Everybody just understood about it.’

One particular source mentioned: ‘It’s time for some truths to be told now, this has been brushed beneath the carpet for so prolonged and it has to appear to an finish. The young gentleman has acquired to the issue now in which he is not going to lie for anyone but really, he says he was never ever asked by ITV about any partnership.

‘It is time that folks have been held to account, or at the pretty minimum demonstrate themselves.’

An ITV spokesman tonight stood organization, declaring: ‘Both get-togethers had been questioned.’

But the network refused to say when the questioning took place, or who performed it.

Yesterday Mr Lygo explained to Sky Information ‘no mistakes’ were being designed as his channel sought out the reality.

The assistant was shunted from This Morning to yet another ITV programme in 2020 immediately after he admitted his appreciate for Schofield at an awards ceremony – prompting substantially gossip between workers of all ranges that there was a romantic relationship concerning them.

Dr Ranj reported he had taken his concerns to ‘the top’ of ITV but that he felt he experienced been ‘managed out’

Pursuing his previous show on May possibly 18, Hammond and O’Leary paid a 30-next tribute to Phil when they hosted the programme the pursuing day, right after his 21 many years on the present

In a lengthy Instagram article, Dr Ranj Singh said he had ‘thought extensive and hard’ prior to weighing in on the ongoing scandal

The tv medic confirmed that he experienced taken fears about the behaviour of editors and senior producers to ITV and experienced then seen his screentime fall

Insiders say that the transfer between programmes would have almost definitely been overseen by ITV’s head of daytime, Emma Gormley. She has but to remark.

Richard Scorer, of attorneys Slater and Gordon, said that whilst all the particulars of the relationship ended up not still identified, ‘any predicament where by a youthful particular person might have been subjected to a probable imbalance of abuse of electrical power demands to be investigated fully and independently’.

The abuse expert additional that the prolonged-standing rumours about the affair – and the allegations that other folks in ITV had been aware of the romantic relationship – intended it was ‘imperative that there is a whole and transparent investigation’.

Ex-Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries joined the calls for an unbiased investigation.

She told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg: ‘We know that there ended up problems lodged with ITV around a extended time period of time. What happened to those complaints? I think the editor of the programme, Martin Frizell, has some questions to solution himself.

‘How did that young boy, so youthful, get a task at ITV? What have been the procedures concerned? What was the safeguarding in spot for another person so younger at that age? What speak to was 1st made? Who contacted who?’

This Early morning will return nowadays, with Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary presenting, ITV confirmed tonight.

But inspite of claims that all is very well at the station’s ‘jewel in the crown’, and will have on as regular, the Mail understands that some folks who have been approached to be guests on the exhibit are refusing.

Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby with Dr Ranj on This Early morning in  2019. The Television set health practitioner explained he felt he had to discuss up 

Unimpressed: Alison Hammond, 48, and Dermot O’Leary, 50, are reportedly fuming after paying out tribute to Phillip Schofield following his departure from This Early morning

The show’s Twitter profile was updated on Saturday to take away a photograph with Phillip Schofield in it 

Dr Singh, 43, manufactured his responses about the ‘toxic’ society driving the scenes in a prolonged Instagram put up yesterday.

A Sunday newspaper report told how he complained of bullying before his departure, with an ITV spokesman admitting an investigation was launched, but discovered ‘no evidence’. Dr Singh verified that he had taken concerns about the behaviour of editors and senior producers to ITV ‘especially presented that my work is to glimpse just after people’s wellbeing and I experienced been closely associated in diversity, anti-bullying and psychological health and fitness assignments throughout the channel’.

He included: ‘The lifestyle at This Early morning has develop into poisonous, no for a longer time aligned with ITV values, and I felt like for the reason that I whistle-blew I was managed out.’

ITV claimed: ‘We are sorry to read through Dr Ranj’s write-up nowadays. At ITV we are completely fully commited to delivering every option for anybody who will work with us to increase any problem or reviews they could have. Pursuing a grievance designed by Dr Ranj, we appointed an external and impartial adviser to have out a evaluation. This external evaluation observed no proof of bullying or discrimination.’

Yesterday The Mail on Sunday informed how Schofield was in his late 40s when he 1st satisfied his lover as he gave a converse to a North-West theatre school. At the time the more youthful person was 15 and he questioned the Tv veteran if he would support him land a career in showbusiness.

Ex-Lifestyle Secretary Nadine Dorries joined the calls for an unbiased investigation.

Schofield was in his late 40s when he to start with satisfied his lover as he gave a talk to a North-West theatre faculty

At the age of 18, the teen moved to London and worked on This Early morning, at which point they struck up an ‘on-off’ connection.

Schofield has funded attorneys from the London organization Mishcon de Reya on behalf of his previous lover. The solicitors have been instructed previous Monday and it was at that place that the person refused to continue covering up their liaisons.

On Saturday a devastated Ms Willoughby, 42, who is having a split from the clearly show, issued a statement stating: ‘When experiences of this romantic relationship to start with surfaced, I requested Phil immediately if this was genuine and was explained to it was not. It’s been extremely hurtful to find out that this was a lie.’

An ITV Spokesperson said: ‘We are sorry to go through Dr Ranj’s article today. At ITV we are completely dedicated to furnishing every option for any one who will work with us to increase any concern or remarks they could have.

‘Following a criticism built by Dr Ranj, we appointed an exterior and independent advisor to have out a overview. This exterior critique found no evidence of bullying or discrimination.’