Phillip Schofield thanks fans as he returns to This Morning after brother's conviction

Phillip Schofield returned to ITV's This Morning on Monday for the first time since his brother was found guilty of sexually abusing a teenage boy.

Mr Schofield was joined on the This Morning sofa by The Hit List presenter and former The Saturdays singer Rochelle Humes while his usual co-host Holly Willoughby recovered from shingles.

Timothy Schofield was convicted of 11 sexual offences involving a child between October 2016 and October 2019, including two of sexual activity with a child, following a trial at Exeter Crown Court.

On April 3, a jury found Timothy Schofield - who worked for Avon and Somerset Police - guilty on all counts with a majority of 10-2 after more than five-and-a-half hours of deliberation.

The civilian police worker from Bath told the jury while giving evidence he watched pornography with the boy, whom he insisted was over the age of 16 at the time, and they masturbated while sitting apart - but denied performing sex acts on the teenager.

After sending his love and well wishes to Ms Willoughby, Mr Schofield said at the beginning of the show: "I'd just like to say, it is really lovely to be back. I have missed the show and everyone here and also to you.

"It's lovely to be back" - Phillip Schofield returns to the This Morning sofa for the first time since his brother's trial

"I wanted to say thank you for your kind messages and support which were really appreciated. Thank you very much indeed. On with the show... Shall we?"

In a statement released by his lawyer after his brother was convicted, Mr Schofield said: “My overwhelming concern is and has always been for the wellbeing of the victim and his family. I hope that their privacy will now be respected.

“If any crime had ever been confessed to me by my brother, I would have acted immediately to protect the victim and their family.

“These are despicable crimes, and I welcome the guilty verdicts. As far as I am concerned, I no longer have a brother.”

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