Viewers of This Morning have advocated for the cancellation of the ITV breakfast show following Phillip Schofield‘s admission that he had an affair with a considerably younger colleague.
After weeks of accusations that he had been ‘barely speaking’ to co-host Holly Willoughby, 42, after an apparent breakup, the long-time presenter, 61, departed from the show last weekend.
Then, on Friday evening, Phillip published a statement announcing his departure from the channel after confessing to having an affair with a young guy who used to work on the show.
While he stated that it was ‘unwise but not illegal’ and admitted to lying about the connection to his superiors and coworkers, outraged viewers have now demanded that the programme be cancelled entirely.
‘I think This Morning on ITV should get cancelled. This is disgusting and wrong,’ one person posted on Twitter.
‘This Morning should be taken off air immediately,’ someone else said.
Another added: ‘No amount of rebranding will rescue This Morning, it should be taken off air.’
In an unfortunate coincidence, a clip from Friday’s broadcast was published to the show’s Twitter feed approximately an hour before Phillip made his announcement.
Several comments criticising the show and network followed.
‘What a pathetic attempt to distract, you should be taken off air’, one person commented on the post.
‘It’s about time the country boycott This Morning,’ another wrote.
Soon after Phillip’s statement, ITV released their own, saying it was ‘deeply disappointed by the admissions of deceit made tonight’.
‘We have trusting ties with those we work with.
‘Phillip made assurances to us which he now acknowledges were untrue and we feel badly let down.
‘We accept his resignation from ITV and therefore can confirm that he will not be appearing on ITV as had previously been stated.’
The former This Morning host said in his statement he would not be identifying the man he had the affair with ‘to protect his privacy’.
This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1.