Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary ‘feel let down and upset’ with Phillip Schofield
Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary feel let down by beleaguered former This Morning presenter Phillip Schofield after his affair with a significantly younger male colleague was confirmed just days after their touching tribute to the presenter.
On Friday, 61-year-old Phillip left ITV and was dropped by his talent agency YMU after revealing he was having an affair with a young colleague while still married to Stephanie Lowe – the mother of his two children.
Days earlier, Alison, 48, and Dermot, 50, had paid tribute to ‘top broadcaster’ Phil when they presented their usual week-end show just 24 hours after his last appearance.
The pair are now said to be upset as they were pulled into the situation after the details of his affair emerged.
A source told MailOnline: ‘It is clear that many people both on and off camera have been upset following Phillip’s extraordinary statement on Friday. It’s fair to say they’re disappointed.’
Not impressed: Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary feel let down by beleaguered former This Morning host Phillip Schofield
End: On Friday, 61-year-old Phillip quit ITV and was dropped by his talent agency YMU after admitting to having an affair with a younger This Morning colleague
A source told it MirrorThe telling thing about all this is the silence where Phil’s colleagues could have stepped in to support him. No one wants to be damaged by association.
“Behind the scenes, it’s really shocking that such a successful show has been hit so hard by the performance of one presenter.
“Last week the idea was that when Phil returned after the summer, it wouldn’t be replaced by one person, but there would be a rolling roster on the bench, just like in Good Morning Britain. But now those conversations seem irrelevant.’
MailOnline has contacted ITV and representatives for both Alison and Dermot for comment.
Phillip received a mere 30 second tribute at the start of This Morning on Friday May 19 when Alison and Dermot stepped in after he was suspended after 21 years.
The pair started the show by briefly discussing his departure, but there was no editing, just a single shot of Phil on screen and about half a minute of warm words.
Opening the broadcast, Alison said, “We can’t start today’s show without paying tribute to the man who has sat on the This Morning bench for the past two decades.” Phillip Schofield.’
Dermot added: ‘So as a show everyone on and off the screen at ITV and This Morning on say a huge thank you to Phil for what he’s done to make the show such a success over the last 21 years.’
Alison continued, “Simply put, we all know he’s one of the best live television broadcasters this country has ever had, and we and the whole team wish him all the best for the future.”
Warm words: After his last show on Thursday, May 18, Alison and Dermot paid just a 30-second tribute to Phil (Phil seen with his former co-host Holly Willoughby on This Morning this month)
A week later, Phillip announced that he had left ITV altogether, relinquishing his last existing association with the channel, the British Soap Awards.
The broadcaster, who was also ousted by his longtime agents YMU, admitted he had an affair with a younger male This Morning colleague.
When the colleague was 15, the schoolboy asked him for a job and Phillip later arranged an interview for him. It led to a job as an ITV production assistant when he turned 18. Some time after that, their affair began.
Phillip admitted to the affair Friday, which he said was “ill-advised but not illegal,” in a lengthy statement, also apologizing to his wife and family.
The “ill-advised” relationship took place during his nearly 30-year marriage to wife Stephanie, 59, and Phillip said he was “so sorry” about being unfaithful.
Stephanie, who shares two children Ruby, 27, and Molly, 29, with Phillip, issued a statement when her husband came out as gay in a touching This Morning segment in 2020.
In a statement, the former ITV presenter said: “I am making this statement through the Daily Mail, to whom I have already personally apologized for being misled, through my lawyer who I have also misled, about a story [sic] that they wanted to write about me a few days ago.
“The first thing I want to say is, I am deeply sorry that I lied to them and to many others about a relationship I had with someone who worked on This Morning.
Apologies: Phillip’s affair took place during his nearly 30-year marriage to his wife Stephanie, 59, and Phillip said he was ‘so sorry’ for being unfaithful to him
Family: Stephanie shares two daughters, Ruby, 27, and Molly, 29, with Phillip, and Stephanie pays tribute to Phil when he came out as gay in 2020
“I did have a consensual on and off relationship with a younger male colleague at This Morning.
Contrary to speculation, while I met the man when he was a teenager and was asked to help him get on television, it wasn’t until after he started working on the show that it became more than just a friendship.
That relationship was ill-advised, but not illegal. It’s over now…
“I am painfully aware that I have lied to my employers at ITV, to my colleagues and friends, to my agents, to the media and therefore to the public and especially my family. I am very sorry, just like that I have been unfaithful to my wife…
“I resign from ITV with immediate effect and express my immense gratitude to them for all the wonderful opportunities they have given me.
“I will reflect on my very poor judgment in both participating in the relationship and then lying about it.”
Following his statement, an ITV spokesperson said: ‘We are deeply disappointed by Phillip Schofield’s admissions of cheating tonight.
“The relationships we have with those we work with are based on trust. Philip gave us assurances which he now admits were untrue and we feel very let down.
“We accept his resignation from ITV and can therefore confirm that he will not appear on ITV as previously stated.”
Following his statement, Phillip also parted ways with his YMU management team after 35 years.
Mary Bekhait, the Group CEO of YMU Group, said, “Honesty and integrity are core values for the entire business of YMU, guiding everything we do. Talent management is a relationship based entirely on trust.
“This week we learned important new information about our client Phillip Schofield.
“These facts contradicted what Phillip had previously told YMU, as well as the outside consultants we engaged to support him.
After quitting This Morning last weekend, Phillip was still set to host the British Soap Awards for the 13th consecutive year, but he will no longer do so after leaving ITV altogether.
Meanwhile, This Morning regular Carol Vorderman revealed on Friday who she thinks will replace Phillip Schofield on This Morning.
During an appearance on the BBC’s Have I Got News for You, 62-year-old Carol hinted who would permanently replace Phillip alongside Holly Willoughby, with the star claiming it would be Alison Hammond.
Former Countdown regular Carol appears on This Morning every other Friday and discusses various topics.
When her Have I Got News For You team captain Ian Hislop suggested she could replace Phillip, Carol said, “No! Probably Holly and Alison, I thought.’
Host Steph McGovern asked Carol, “Is that where your money is?” she replied, “That’s where I’d put my money.”
Alison currently hosts the show every Friday alongside Dermot O’Leary.