It has been revealed that a considerable number of former and present employees of ITV’s This Morning have complained to Parliament about “toxic workplace environments, bullying, discrimination, and harassment.”
Following Phillip Schofield‘s departure from the show, MPs questioned the broadcaster’s chief executive, Dame Carolyn McCall, managing director Kevin Lygo, and general counsel and company secretary Kyla Mullins in June this year.
They were also questioned about claims of a hostile culture on the programme.
According to PA News, on Wednesday, August 9, communication from Dame Caroline Dinenage, head of the Culture, Media, and Sport Committee, to Dame Carolyn was disclosed.
It read: ‘In the month that has passed since your appearance before the committee, we have been contacted by a large number of individuals who have identified themselves as currently working or previously having worked on This Morning or as part of the wider ITV Daytime team.
‘These individuals speak with great pride about working at ITV and are hugely positive about many of their colleagues. However, they also raise claims of toxic working cultures, bullying, discrimination and harassment.
‘Your letter of June 15 encourages individuals to raise their concerns through internal or external routes, and we will make individuals aware of those options. However, some of those individuals who have contacted us have described how their decision to raise concerns within ITV has led to further bullying and discrimination, and in some cases having to leave the organisation with a settlement agreement.
‘It is easy to understand why those individuals, especially where they have left ITV and do not wish to relive their traumatic experiences, do not feel capable of attempting to report their concerns, or that ITV will take them seriously.’
In reaction to the allegations, ITV’s Dame Carolyn issued a letter to the committee chair.
Regarding the revelation of past and present This Morning employees coming forward, she said: ‘You also say that others have come forward to you about their experience at ITV but do not feel capable of attempting to report their concerns, or that ITV will take them seriously.
‘Having taken the step to bring matters to your attention, in line with my letter to you the day after the hearing, I would ask you to continue to encourage individuals to contact ITV via our reporting line SafeCall, through which reports can be made confidentially or anonymously. Alternatively, individuals may wish to contact Jane Mulcahy KC directly.
‘As we made clear to you and the Committee, we are absolutely committed to enabling people to raise any issues or complaints they may have about working at ITV. We always take these seriously and will investigate and take whatever action is appropriate. However, we are unable to do so if we cannot engage with those people.’
According to Variety, the evidence that ITV gave during the parliamentary inquiry into Schofield’s exit from This Morning and the broadcaster amid his admission that he had an affair with a younger runner on the programme was labelled ‘inconsistent’ and ‘contradictory’.
According to the magazine, in the letter written by Dame Caroline, the chair urged Dame McCall to clarify whether Schofield departed ITV on his own accord or was ‘pushed’.
Lygo’s replies on the matter were also considered to be ‘at best inconsistent’ by the chair.
‘I got your message by email this afternoon and thank you for answering my call so fast,’ Dame Carolyn said in her letter responding to the charges. As I previously stated, we were startled that your letter would be released considering our own worries about the wellbeing of our employees.
‘We have of course cooperated in every way and been clear that complaints are taken seriously.
‘Your letter asks for clarification around some issues covered by the Select Committee hearing we attended last month which, of course, we are very happy to do.
‘To your first point on Mr Schofield’s departure from This Morning, there is no inconsistency. As made clear, Mr Schofield expressed a desire to leave This Morning but Kevin Lygo was the ultimate arbiter of such issues – following discussions with everyone involved.’
‘On the subject of NDAs, we were quite clear that we only engage into such agreements in regard to commercial considerations,’ wrote the ITV chief executive.
‘To the extent anyone wants confirmation that confidentiality provisions in any settlement agreement do not apply to appropriate disclosures, then they should approach us and we would be happy to review the position. To date, no one has approached us.’
Dame Carolyn concluded her letter by writing: ‘As we committed to you at the Select Committee hearing, we will respond to you with the findings of the KC review which has started and which we expect to be completed in September.
‘I am happy to meet with you personally at any point that is convenient.’
