ITV bosses to face grilling by MPs next week over handling of Phillip Schofield’s affair
ITV bosses face whims from MPs over the Phillip Schofield affair scandal next week as the broadcaster faces questions over who knew what and when
- A full inquiry may be ordered if ITV fails to provide acceptable answers
ITV bosses are reportedly to be berated by MPs next Tuesday over their handling of Phillip Schofield’s affair with a much younger colleague.
Members of the House of Representatives’ digital, culture, media and sports committee met next week to discuss updating the broadcasting rules in the new draft Media Act.
But MPs are likely to take the opportunity to scrutinize the beleaguered broadcaster over its protection procedures following the scandal that rocked the showbiz world. the Telegraph reported.
The hearing comes after Schofield resigned from This Morning after presenting the program for nearly two decades.
ITV said it had investigated allegations that Schofield had an affair with a much younger colleague in 2020, but both had “repeatedly denied” the allegations.
Schofield resigned from This Morning last week after admitting to lying about his affair with his much younger lover
Holly Willoughby (left) must ‘stay firmly on the sidelines’ to keep her brand and stay with ITV amid Phillip Schofield scandal, PR pundits said today
Pixelated photo of Schofield leaving The Ivy Club with his much younger ex-lover in 2017
Schofield (pictured last week) could be called to answer questions about the scandal publicly, if MPs decide to launch a full inquiry
The broadcaster is being pressured to reveal exactly what it knew about the allegations after Schofield admitted to the affair last week.
ITV reportedly planned to send Magnus Brooke, who was only appointed to the role of director of strategy, policy and regulation in October last year, to the scheduled hearing next week.
However, reports from the Telegraph indicate that the broadcasting giant is considering sending a senior executive for the suspected whims.
An ITV spokesperson reportedly insisted that Mr Brooke attend the evidence hearing.
“We confirmed a few weeks ago when the select committee invited ITV to testify alongside C4 and C5 that Magnus Brooke (ITV group director of strategy, policy and regulation) would be the ITV representative.”
A full inquiry could be ordered if ITV does not provide acceptable answers about the handling of the scandal, MPs have said.
Three MPs confirmed to De Telegraaf that the scandal will ’emerge’ during the session.
Former senior cabinet minister and Conservative member of the committee, Damian Green said: ‘The committee has long had an interest in protecting everyone on television, be it staff or members of the public, so I am sure the issue of appropriate behavior towards staff will be addressed.”
Another Conservative member of the committee, Giles Watling, said MPs would look into the “systems and safeguards” of the network’s handling of the case.
He said: ‘It needs to be scrutinized and it’s our job – it will be scrutinized. We need to ask them if the right processes were in place. We still need to know what happened and whether there was any illegality.’
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport and ITV were contacted for comment.