…By Alan Peterson for TDPel Media.
Eamonn Holmes, former presenter of This Morning, has spoken out against Phillip Schofield following his resignation from ITV and being dropped by his talent agency.
Schofield admitted to having an “unwise, but not illegal” affair.
In the aftermath of his resignation, some former employees of This Morning criticized the broadcaster.
Dr Ranj Singh, the show’s former resident doctor, described the show’s culture as “toxic” and claimed he faced repercussions for raising concerns about bullying and discrimination.
During an interview on Dan Wootton’s GB News show, Holmes discussed the affair and accused Schofield of creating a toxic environment.
He mentioned that anyone who speaks out against Schofield, including himself, Amanda Holden, and Dan Wootton, would be subjected to the toxicity that exists.
Holmes referred to Dr Ranj’s experience as well and expressed the opinion that Schofield had held too much power for too long.
ITV confirmed that they had conducted an investigation into the rumors of a relationship between Schofield and an ITV employee in early 2020.
Both parties denied the rumors, and no evidence beyond hearsay and rumor was found.
However, Schofield’s statement revealed that he had lied to ITV, senior management, fellow presenters, his agency, and the media about the relationship.
In response to the criticism, Schofield posted on Instagram, denying the existence of toxicity on This Morning.
He claimed that the criticism came from a small group of individuals with personal grudges against him or the show.
In contrast, Holmes accused Schofield of being the source of toxicity.
He claimed that Schofield had created an atmosphere where people hated him, sharing anecdotes about how Schofield would avoid people and not bother to learn their names.
When approached by a producer from GB News, ITV’s managing director of media and entertainment, Kevin Lygo, refused to answer questions about Schofield and walked away, stating that there was nothing more to say.