The This Morning star, 61, shocked the nation on Friday (May 26) when he admitted to having an affair with a much younger male colleague while still married to his wife and before coming out as gay.
Phil described the relationship as ‘unwise, but not illegal’, but resigned from ITV with ‘immediate effect’.
He was also dropped from his talent agency of 35 years and pulled out of hosting next week’s British Soap Awards, which would’ve been his last public commitment.
ITV later issued a statement saying the channel felt ‘badly let down’ after Phil lied to them about the affair.
They also claim to have first investigated allegations of a relationship between Phil and a young co-worker in 2020, but found no supporting evidence.
Loose Woman Ruth, 63, who also used to host This Morning, got dragged into the thick of the drama when her husband Eamonn Holmes voiced his thoughts on social media.
Taking to Twitter, the GB News presenter, also 63, accused Phil of taking him and wife Ruth ‘for fools’.
Eamonn – who was axed from his Friday slot along with Ruth – tweeted: ‘Ruth and I deceived and lied to . One day I will tell the story. We had no issue with him being Gay, only support.
‘What transpired took us for fools . The man told us complete lies and we unfortunately believed him.’ [sic]
And while Ruth is yet to share her own views on the situation, she will definitely be aware.
Taking to her Instagram Story on Sunday morning (May 28), the TV star shared that she was reading the day’s newspapers – strategically photographing the front page of The Times to cut off Phil and ex-colleague Holly Willoughby, who have been the talk of the nation for weeks.
‘Late breakfast and the papers… what Sundays are all about’, she wrote.
In further posts, Ruth proved she won’t be stopped from enjoying her life, as she soaked up the sun in her garden before taking her dog for an evening walk.
The future of This Morning has been thrown into question over recent weeks, ever since rumours emerged of a ‘fallout’ between Holly, 42, and Phil, who were once best friends.
However, the broadcaster has confirmed that the show is not under review and will be back next week.
Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary – the usual Friday hosts – are taking the helm of the first show back since Phil’s bombshell.
Meanwhile, Holly has taken an early half-term break and will return on Monday, June 5, ITV has confirmed.
It is not yet known who will join her on the sofa, with speculation rife over who will get the job.
Alison and Dermot are both currently hot favourites, along with fellow ITV stars Joel Dommett and Rylan.
Phillip Schofield statement in full
‘I am making this statement via the Daily Mail to whom I have already apologised personally for misleading, through my lawyer who I also misled, about a story which they wanted to write about me a few days ago.
‘The first thing I want to say is: I am deeply sorry for having lied to them, and to many others about a relationship that I had with someone working on This Morning. I did have a consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague at This Morning.
‘Contrary to speculation, whilst 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. 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.
‘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, and I ask that their privacy should be respected.’
MORE : Nadine Dorries believes Holly Willoughby has ‘questions to answer’ amid fallout of Phillip Schofield’s affair confession
MORE : Phillip Schofield’s ‘lover’ was just 15 when star met him during talk at school
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