Protests against Phillip Schofield have disrupted the British Soap Awards.
Phillip, 61, said last week that he will stand aside from hosting the annual awards as part of his resignation from ITV as a whole, after quitting This Morning with immediate effect.
The former ITV actor admitted to lying about a romance with a young runner on the daytime programme whom he helped break into the profession.
After a tumultuous week in which the presenter admitted in an interview that he was frightened to leave his house for fear of being’spit on’ as the aftermath from his confession persisted, it was revealed that Jane McDonald would take over as host of the Soap Awards.
Despite the fact that Phillip had no involvement in the awards, a large crowd gathered outside the ceremony at The Lowry in Salford.
A small group of demonstrators can be seen outside the building holding posters with photos of Phillip and his former This Morning co-host Holly Willoughby, which have been widely circulated on social media.
Phillip will not be present at the awards, which will telecast on ITV on Tuesday.
In the aftermath of Phillip’s shocking revelation, it was announced on Thursday that presenter Jane would take up hosting responsibilities.
A spokesperson for the British Soap Awards wrote on Twitter: ‘We’re pleased to announce our host for The British Soap Awards 2023… the fabulous Jane McDonald!
‘As a super huge soap fan, she’s in for a treat as we celebrate all our wonderful soaps in a star-studded glittering event that airs this Tuesday at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX.’
It marks Phillip’s first Soap Awards absence since taking over as host in 2009.
Resigning from ITV, in a statement to the Daily Mail, Phillip said: ‘I am painfully conscious that I have lied to my employers at ITV, to my colleagues and friends, to my agents, to the media and therefore the public and most importantly of all to my family.
‘I am so very, very sorry, as I am for having been unfaithful to my wife.‘I have therefore decided to step down from the British Soap Awards, my last public commitment, and am resigning from ITV with immediate effect expressing my immense gratitude to them for all the amazing opportunities that they have given me.’
ITV has been in turmoil after Schofield confessed to having an ‘unwise but not illegal’ affair with a young runner on the daytime show.
Several former This Morning hosts, including Eamonn Holmes and Dr Ranj Singh, as well as guests Jodie Marsh and Kerry Katona, have accused the programme of having a ‘toxic’ atmosphere behind the scenes.
However, This Morning editor Martin Frizell has subsequently responded to charges that the show is ‘poison,’ maintaining that’some scores are being settled.’