An independent investigation led by KC found that Phillip Schofield’s support of a younger male colleague he was having an affair with greatly aided the man’s early success at ITV. The man was then able to establish himself independently.
The host of This Morning resigned following his confession about a “foolish, yet not against the law” affair. There were also claims that ITV executives had ignored his romantic involvement with a colleague who worked as a runner on the show.
Jane Mulcahy, KC, stated on Thursday that she interviewed 48 individuals for the review. She also mentioned that Schofield had declined to participate due to concerns about his health and that his mental health has worsened since then.
According to Mulcahy, despite rumors of the relationship being common knowledge at ITV, neither the management nor the senior staff of This Morning were aware of the affair until Schofield made a public statement. Only one former junior employee claimed to have known about it, but did not report it.
The broadcaster put in a lot of effort to uncover the truth about a reported relationship, following the publication of a story by the Sun in December 2019. However, despite their efforts, ITV was unable to find any evidence until Schofield’s admission in May 2023, as stated in the report.
In 2019, ITV made every effort to assist the runner and offered substantial extra assistance to him, including in May 2023, even after his employment had ended, according to the report.
There were accusations of a negative work environment at This Morning, but Mulcahy stated that she found no proof to substantiate the allegations during her investigation.
Mulcahy advised the broadcasting company to establish specific guidelines for “talent” in order to ensure that even well-known individuals adhere to good conduct.
She stated that she firmly believes that the top executives highly value having a transparent culture. However, she noted that this belief does not seem to be shared by lower-level employees, who still fear negative consequences for speaking up.
In June, ITV initiated a review by Mulcahy to investigate how they handled rumors about the relationship between Schofield and a This Morning crew member, staff complaints, and whether their response was sufficient.
In May, Schofield resigned from his 21-year role as host of This Morning after confessing to lying about having an affair with a coworker while married to his wife of 30 years, Stephanie Lowe. He publicly came out as gay in February 2020.
The media was stunned by the news of the affair and Schofield’s decision to resign. In June, MPs on the House of Commons culture, media and sport committee questioned ITV’s chief executive, Carolyn McCall, about the incident and the overall culture of the network.
She was questioned about claims made by past hosts like Piers Morgan and Eamonn Holmes that Schofield’s relationship was already known by the network, but no steps were taken.
Holly Willoughby, the co-host of Schofield’s, left the show in October after being on it for 14 years. Since their departure, a variety of presenters including Alison Hammond, Dermot O’Leary, Josie Gibson, Craig Doyle, Rylan Clark, and Emma Willis have hosted the show on a rotating basis.
ITV plc’s chairman, Andy Cosslett, expressed his approval of the review’s conclusions and suggestions.
He stated that their commitment to those they collaborate with is to thoroughly investigate any complaints or serious concerns and take appropriate action if any misconduct is discovered.
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“We will continue to enhance our efforts in empowering junior colleagues to speak up and share their thoughts and concerns.”
“I am optimistic that the conclusion of this evaluation will enable the This Morning team to return to their expertise – producing a fantastic show that entertains and educates countless viewers each week.”
Source: theguardian.com
