Former This Morning presenter Eamonn Homes doubles down on his criticism of Phillip Schofield

A former co-host of UK show This Morning has doubled down on his criticism of Phillip Schofield, warning him not to “look for a fight”.

Eamonn Holmes and Phillip Schofield on This Morning. Picture: ITV

One of Britain’s best known television presenters has doubled down on his biting attack on one-time colleague Phillip Schofield, who sensationally quit TV after he admitted to an affair with a young male colleague while he was married.

In a social media post on Monday, Eamonn Holmes, who also used to present hit daytime show This Morning alongside Schofield, said his fellow host was “delusional” and warned him not to “look for a fight”.

Just over a week ago, Schofield resigned from This Morning after more than two decades hosting the program. In a vaguely worded statement, he said he was leaving because “This Morning itself has become the story”.

But days later, he left the entire ITV network after it was revealed the 61-year-old had had an affair with a younger male staff member on the show who he had first met as a teenager.

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

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

Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield pose with the award for Live Magazine Show for This Morning at the 2020 National Television Awards. Picture: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

His This Morning co-host Holly Willoughby, who just days before had praised Schofield, said she had confronted him over the rumours of a relationship some time ago and he had told her it wasn’t true.

“It’s been very hurtful to now find out that this was a lie,” she wrote on Instagram.

But it’s a former host of This Morning who has gone to town on Schofield.

Eamonn Holmes, a veteran of UK morning and daytime TV, hosted the show on Fridays and when the main presenters were on holiday between 2006 and 2021. His tenure coincided with that of Schofield’s.

Since the scandal broke, Holmes has been making his feelings about Schofield known on social media.

On Friday, he took to Twitter to say he had been “deceived and lied too,” by Schofield who “took us for fools”.

“The man told us complete lies and we unfortunately believed him.”

He followed that up with another tweet saying Schofield had been “finally caught out” and slamming ITV management for not taking “action to prevent him controlling or taking advantage of his position over young people”.

Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes co-hosted This Morning during Schofield’s tenure.

‘Delusional statement’

On Monday, Holmes took to social media again after Schofield broke his silence following his departure refuting claims that the show was “toxic”.

“Schofield has just put out a delusional statement.

“Like Holly [Willoughby] he puts it on Insta Stories so if it goes wrong there is no record after 24 hours.

“I’m reluctant to give the liar any more publicity but believe me Pip if [you are] looking for a fight [you] have picked on the wrong person!”

Schofield has just put out a delusional statement. Like Holly he puts it on Insta Stories so if it goes wrong there is no record after 24 hrs. I'm reluctant to give the liar any more publicity but believe me Pip if u r looking for a fight , u have picked on the wrong person !

— Eamonn Holmes OBE (@EamonnHolmes) May 29, 2023

Schofield’s statement on Instagram, which so riled Holmes, read: “Now I no longer work on This Morning, I am free to say this.

“I hope you have noticed that it’s the same handful of people with a grudge against me or the show who seem to have the loudest voice.

“This Morning is the best show to work on, with the best people. In all the years I worked there, there was no toxicity. You can listen to those persistently loud voices if you like, but the thousands of guests over the years, thousands of staff and crew, hundreds of presenters and contributors all know it is a family of wonderful, talented, hardworking people.”

Phillip Schofield and the staff member in 2018.

The tweets come as new images have emerged of Schofield and the staff member.

The star was seen with the ITV runner in 2018, two years before he came out as gay, at a live This Morning event.

The Sun reported that staff sources said his closeness to the assistant raised eyebrows as he insisted only he would help with his wardrobe and food.

An insider said: “It was odd – suddenly this new young staff member was glued to Schofield’s side.

“It was made clear to all other staff he was Phillip’s chosen aide, even though at times Phillip was quite abrasive towards him.”

Kevin Lygo, ITV’s director of television, has denied that an investigation into Schofield’s affair with his young colleague had been bungled.

When asked by Sky News UK if mistakes had been made during the probe carried out by ITV in 2020, he simply replied: “No.”

ITV said no one employed on the daytime show knew of the affair as Schofield “lied” to everyone.

On Saturday a spokesman said: “Further to our statement last night, ITV can confirm that when rumours of a relationship between Phillip Schofield and an employee of ITV first began to circulate in early 2020, ITV investigated.

“Both parties were questioned and both categorically and repeatedly denied the rumours as did Phillip’s then-agency YMU.

“In addition, ITV spoke to a number of people who worked on This Morning and were not provided with, and did not find, any evidence of a relationship beyond hearsay and rumour.

“Phillip’s statement yesterday reveals that he lied to people at ITV, from senior management to fellow presenters, to YMU, to the media and to others over this relationship.”