Piers Morgan has spoken out on Holly Willoughby‘s heartfelt address about Phillip Schofield, stating she was in a ‘difficult position’.
Willoughby, 42, returned to This Morning on Monday, June 5, following an extended half-term break, addressing the impact from Schofield’s departure on air for the first time.
The TV anchor wore white as she sat next to her co-host Josie Gibson, stating she was’shaken, worried, and let down’ by Schofield’s departure after she admitted to lying about an affair he had with a younger runner on the ITV show.
While some have shown compassion for Willoughby, others have called her speech “strange,” and one person stated that she “couldn’t really win either way,” regardless of whether she addressed the matter or not.
During Monday night’s broadcast of Piers Morgan Uncensored, the titular presenter defended Willoughby while also criticising the parallels between her comment and one made by Jennifer Aniston‘s character in the TV drama The Morning Show.
Morgan, 58, burst out laughing after seeing a clip of Aniston’s character commenting about her former co-host, played by Steve Carell, in which she addressed her audience directly in a way similar to Willoughby.
‘Apart from the white dress – which was a good touch, the angelic look,’ he began, before starting to speak earnestly.
‘I like Holly Willoughby, she’s a good friend of mine. I’ve known Phillip Schofield a long time. I like Holly, and she’s in an impossible position. She had to come back contractually and do what she did.’
Morgan noted on the’speed’ with which individuals in the media can move from being viewed as ‘heroes’ to being perceived negatively, ‘where charities are falling over themselves to utilise them, to people they believe are their buddies at work’.
The former Good Morning Britain presenter continued: ‘Here’s a message – they’re not in most cases.
‘In most cases they will chuck you under a bus and into a grave, while simultaneously ringing the bosses trying to get your job. It’s just what the nature of the beast is. It’s ruthless, it’s horrible, and we’ve seen it laid bare at its worst.’
During the show, Morgan stated that Schofield appeared ‘totally shattered’ in his tell-all interviews regarding his This Morning departure and secret romance.
‘When someone is in that condition, even though I felt that his comparison to Caroline Flack was clumsy and he probably shouldn’t have said that, he probably meant it,’ he stated.
Morgan also claimed that ‘everybody knew’ about Schofield’s affair with the young man, claiming: ‘Let’s be crystal clear, that building was a buzz with this for about three years because three years ago, at the National TV Awards, in the ITV box, the young man involved in this story confessed his undying love for Phillip Schofield. That was common knowledge.’
ITV has denied knowing of Schofield’s romance, stating in a statement that both he and the runner were questioned some years ago and both denied being romantically connected.
Schofield stated that no ‘formal’ inquiry was carried out, but the circumstances surrounding his departure are presently being reviewed amid allegations of ‘toxicity’ behind the scenes.
This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV.
