Holly Willoughby: Phillip Schofield's lie about affair is 'hurtful' after 'I asked him directly'
ITV News' Martha Fairlie reports Holly Willoughby's response to Phillip Schofield's affair with a younger colleague
Holly Willoughby has claimed she was also lied to by Phillip Schofield about his affair with a younger colleague, saying she asked her co-host "directly" if news of the relationship was true and "was told it was not."
Willoughby said on Saturday it was "very hurtful" to find out Schofield, 61, had previously denied to her that he had a relationship with a younger man at itv.
In a statement on Instagram, the 42-year-old wrote: “It’s taken time to process yesterday’s news."
"When reports of this relationship first surfaced, I asked Phil directly if this was true and was told it was not.
"It’s been very hurtful to now find out that this was a lie."
She signed the brief statement: "Holly."
Willoughby and Schofield have worked together for over 15 years, beginning in 2006 when they presented ITV competition Dancing On Ice.
The duo became a staple of British daytime television with the top jobs on This Morning, which is currently being presented by temporary hosts, mostly Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary.
Willoughby is currently on a half term break and is expected to return on Monday, June 5.
On Friday Schofield admitted to having an "unwise, but not illegal" affair with a much younger man at ITV, who worked with him on This Morning.
The relationship took place while he was still married to his wife, Stephanie Lowe, who is also mother to their two daughters.
It is understood the younger man is not in the public eye and did not want their relationship to be known.
ITV have said it "did not find any evidence of a relationship beyond hearsay and rumour" when it investigated claims of an affair between Schofield and a younger colleague.
A spokesperson for the broadcaster 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... 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.”
Schofield has also been dropped my his talent agency, YMU, following the announcement of the affair.
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