TV host Phillip Schofield quits after admitting to affair with young male co-worker

One of the UK’s most famous TV hosts has sensationally quit after admitting to an affair with a colleague he first met when the man was a teen.

Phillip Schofield has quit ITV. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

One of Britain’s most well known television hosts has resigned from a major broadcaster just days after he left the show he’d been presenting for more than two decades.

Phillip Schofield quit ITV on Friday as he admitted to an affair with a “younger” male staff member from the This Morning daytime program who he met when the man was a teen.

Schofield, who came out as gay in 2020, was still married to his wife at the time, The Sunreports.

The 61-year-old was axed by This Morning just last week.

It’s understood the younger man is not a public figure and did not want the relationship to be revealed.

Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield pose with the award for Live Magazine Show for This Morning at the UK National Television Awards 2020. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

‘Unwise, but not illegal’

In a statement, Schofield said he was “deeply sorry” for the affair which he said was “unwise, but not illegal”.

He said: “I did have a consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague”.

“Contrary to speculation, while I met the man when he was a teenager and was asked to help him to get into television, it was only after he started to work on the show that it became more than just a friendship.

“That relationship was unwise, but not illegal. It is now over. When I chose to come out I did so entirely for my own wellbeing. Nobody ‘forced’ me out.”

“Neither I nor anyone else, to my knowledge, has ever issued an injunction, super or otherwise, about my relationship with this colleague, he was never moved on or sacked by or because of me,” Schofield added.

“In an effort to protect my ex-colleague I haven’t been truthful about the relationship.

“But my recent, unrelated, departure from This Morning fuelled speculation and raised questions which have been impacting him, so for his sake it is important for me to be honest now.

Philip Schofield (lefft) presented This Morning for more than two decades. Picture: ITV.

“I am painfully conscious that I have lied to my employers at ITV, to my colleagues and friends, to my agents, to the media and therefore the public and most importantly of all to my family.

“I am so very, very sorry, as I am for having been unfaithful to my wife.

“I have therefore decided to step down from the British Soap Awards, my last public commitment, and am resigning from ITV with immediate effect expressing my immense gratitude to them for all the amazing opportunities that they have given me.

“I will reflect on my very bad judgment in both participating in the relationship and then lying about it.

“To protect his privacy, I am not naming this individual and my deepest wish is that both he and his family can now move on with their lives free from further intrusion, and that this statement will enable them to do so.

“I ask the media now to respect their privacy. They have done nothing wrong.”

Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby (right) were daytime TV fixtures. Picture: ITV.

Dropped by talent agency

Schofield has been dropped by his agent YMU, which said in a statement: “Honesty and integrity are core values for YMU’s whole business, defining everything we do”.

“Talent management is a relationship based entirely on trust.

“This week, we have learned important new information about our client Phillip Schofield.”

Schofield said: “It is with the most profound regret that after 35 years of being faultlessly managed by YMU I have agreed to step down from their representation with immediate effect”.

Phillip Schofield was still married to his wife Stephanie Lowe at the time of the affair, who he wed in 1993.

Phillip Schofield’s announcement that he was leaving This Morning. Days later he has quit the entire ITV channel.

Axed just days ago from TV show

The host was only axed from This Morning last week — unable to bid farewell to his fans.

His exit was confirmed after weeks of intense speculation about his future and a feud with co-host Holly Willoughby, 42 — and as an insider revealed the row was even putting off guests from appearing with them.

It comes after his brother Tim Schofield was jailed after being found guilty of “emotionally blackmailing” a teen into sex acts and forcing him to watch porn.

Days later, Phillip Schofield, the host of 21 years had been in an office with show chief Martin Frizzell and told his contract, due to end this summer, was not being renewed.

Bosses had decided the situation was unworkable following clear on-screen tension between them which led to the show shedding 170,000 viewers.

He was also expected to leave Dancing on Ice, which he an Willoughby also presented together.

The pair were once a dream TV pairing. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

Devastated Schofield then drove 500km from London to Cornwall to see his mum Pat, 85, where he spent Friday pouring his heart out to her on a coastal walk.

A source said: “It’s been a very difficult time for them but they talked about the end of an era and called something of a truce.”

Phil made no mention of Holly in a statement announcing his shock departure from the show last week.

He said: “I’ve always been proud to cover fascinating stories on This Morning. But recently, This Morning itself has become the story.

“Throughout my career in TV — including the very difficult last few days — I have always done my best to be honourable and kind.

“I understand that ITV has decided the current situation can’t go on, and I want to do what I can to protect the show that I love.

“So I have agreed to step down from This Morning with immediate effect, in the hope the show can move forward to a bright future.

“I’d like to thank everyone who has supported me — especially This Morning’s amazing viewers — and I’ll see you all for the Soap Awards next month.”

That’s a commitment he now won’t be keeping.

Willoughby kept her statement brief, saying: “It’s been over 13 great years presenting This Morning with Phil and I want to take this opportunity to thank him for all of his knowledge, his experience and his humour. The sofa won’t feel the same without him”.

This story appeared in The Sun and is reproduced with permission.