Phillip Schofield‘s surprise departure from ITV has prompted Eamonn Holmes to declare that he has “finally been caught out.”
Earlier today, the former This Morning anchor admitted to having an affair behind the scenes with a considerably younger staff member and lying to ‘his employers and other colleagues’ about his conduct.
The 61-year-old also stepped aside from his positions at ITV and declined to host the forthcoming British Soap Awards, according to a lengthy statement.
His 35-year talent agency dropped him shortly after the news surfaced.
Following the announcement, Holmes, who had previously slammed his former ITV co-star, moved to Twitter to discuss the change, claiming that individuals higher up within the company were aware of it.
‘Schofield has finally been caught out … But he’s not the only guilty party,’ the 63-year-old posted.
‘4 high members of ITV management knew what sort of man he was …and NEVER once took action …’
Holmes did not elaborate on his remark, and ITV executives have yet to comment on Schofield’s departure or the news of his affair.
Piers Morgan also commented on the revelation on Twitter, only days after writing a letter expressing his sympathy for his former ITV co-star’s This Morning resignation.
The ex-Good Morning Britain anchor quoted a story with the words ‘Blimey’ and a wide-eyed emoji.
He then retweeted another comment that said, ‘A lot more questions about who knew what when at ITV to be answered after this…’
Schofield was the anchor of This Morning for almost 20 years until leaving last week after rumours of escalating conflict with co-star Holly Willoughby.
Earlier today, he released a bombshell statement to the Daily Mail, in which he admitted to having an affair with a much younger colleague while he was still married to his wife of 30 years, Stephanie Lowe.
He stated that he met the man, whom he did not identify for privacy concerns, while he was a teenager, and that things progressed into’more than a friendship’ when they started working together.
The former Dancing On Ice host called their connection “unwise but not illegal,” and admitted to lying to his supervisors and coworkers about it.
‘I did have a consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague at This Morning,’ he said. ‘Contrary to speculation, whilst I met the man when he was a teenager and was asked to help him to get into television, it was only after he started to work on the show that it became more than just a friendship. That relationship was unwise, but not illegal. It is now over.
‘In an effort to protect my ex-colleague I haven’t been truthful about the relationship. But my recent, unrelated, departure from This Morning fueled speculation and raised questions which have been impacting him, so for his sake it is important for me to be honest now.
‘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.’
Phillip Schofield statement in full
‘I am making this statement via the Daily Mail to whom I have already apologised personally for misleading, through my lawyer who I also misled, about a story which they wanted to write about me a few days ago.
‘The first thing I want to say is: I am deeply sorry for having lied to them, and to many others about a relationship that I had with someone working on This Morning. I did have a consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague at This Morning.
‘Contrary to speculation, whilst I met the man when he was a teenager and was asked to help him to get into television, it was only after he started to work on the show that it became more than just a friendship. That relationship was unwise, but not illegal. It is now over.
‘When I chose to come out I did so entirely for my own wellbeing. Nobody “forced” me out. Neither I nor anyone else, to my knowledge, has ever issued an injunction, super or otherwise, about my relationship with this colleague, he was never moved on or sacked by or because of me. In an effort to protect my ex-colleague I haven’t been truthful about the relationship.
‘But my recent, unrelated, departure from This Morning fuelled speculation and raised questions which have been impacting him, so for his sake it is important for me to be honest now.
‘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.
‘I will reflect on my very bad judgment in both participating in the relationship and then lying about it. To protect his privacy, I am not naming this individual and my deepest wish is that both he and his family can now move on with their lives free from further intrusion, and that this statement will enable them to do so.
‘I ask the media now to respect their privacy. They have done nothing wrong, and I ask that their privacy should be respected.’
‘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,’ he added.
‘I will reflect on my very bad judgement in both participating in the relationship and then lying about it.’