Dermot O’Leary has shared an overwhelming tribute, saying it was a “privilege” to co-host This Morning for an entire week amid the ongoing Phillip Schofield scandal.
The host, 50, who co-headlined the show with Alison Hammond, 48, took to Instagram with a slew of snaps from his busy period in front of the camera.
Phillip, 61, quit ITV with immediate effect after confessing to having an affair with a younger colleague during his marriage to wife Stephanie Lowe, while admitting to cheating on his ITV staff and colleagues about it.
On the occasion of his presenting appearance, Dermot playfully posed alongside Alison in the snaps and with some of the show’s celebrity guests.
The duo shone and shook off all signs of drama, starring Ian McKellan, Roger Allam and the Spitting Image puppets.
Privilege: Dermot O’Leary, 50, has shared an overwhelming tribute, saying it was a ‘privilege’ to co-host an entire week of This Morning with Alison Hammond, 48, amid the ongoing Phillip Schofield scandal
Scandal: Phillip, 61, quit ITV with immediate effect after admitting to cheating on wife Stephanie with the man, while admitting to cheating on his ITV staff and colleagues about his affair.
Dermot captioned the post: ‘It was a privilege to host TM with Alison for you this week, and on behalf of an incredible crew and team, thank you for all the love!’.
It comes after Dr Ranj Singh previously accused This Morning of having a ‘toxic’ culture of bullying and discrimination.
The NHS doctor says he was ‘guided’ out of his role after raising concerns with ITV chief executive.
Dr. Ranj spent six years on This Morning as a resident medical expert alongside Schofield and his co-host Holly Willoughby before stepping down in 2022.
In a lengthy social media post, Dr Ranj wrote, “I was on the show for 10 years and I really loved and appreciated working there. Over time, however, I started to worry more and more about how things were behind the scenes and how people, including myself, were treated.
“I didn’t know the truth about what was going on with Phillip, but I do know that the problems with TM (This Morning) go way beyond him.
“It takes more than one person to create a culture.”
The doctor said he had raised concerns with senior ITV executives as he had been heavily involved in “diversity, anti-bullying and mental health projects” across the channel.
“Then I noticed I was being used less and less,” he continued. “I even took my concerns straight to the top of ITV: the culture at This Morning had become toxic, no longer in line with ITV values, and I felt that for whistling I was being kicked out.
Say Cheese: Dermot playfully posed alongside Alison in the snaps and with some of the show’s celebrity guests (L-R) Dermot, Ian McKellen, Alison and Roger Allam
BTS: Dermot also shared behind-the-scenes snaps of herself
Busy: He was working backstage with a script in hand and a pen behind his ear
Puppets: The hosts were also joined by the rubbery cast of Spitting Image
Proud: Dermot captioned the post, “It was a privilege to host TM with Alison for you this week, and on behalf of an incredible crew and team, thank you for all the love!”
“But as history and experience have taught us, things like bullying and discrimination are very hard to prove, especially in hindsight and when those in power dictate the narrative. As we have seen, no assessment or research is foolproof.”
Josie Gibson was turned out to be replacing axed Phillip and would co-host This Morning with Holly Willoughby on Monday.
The news was announced during the closing moments of Friday’s episode by host Alison, who said: “Holly’s coming back with Josie on Monday.”
Alison burst into tears on Friday when she admitted it was “really hurtful” to see Phillip being interviewed about his affair.
She said her late mother Maria, who died in 2020, told her, “Use your bible as a navigational device in life, Al.” Mrs. Hammond then quoted a passage from the Bible about a woman caught in adultery.
After watching the clip of the dramatic BBC interview in which Schofield said his daughters saved his life, Ms Hammond was left in tears as she struggled to speak.
She told This Morning: “I found it really hurtful because obviously I loved Phillip Schofield, and it’s weird because I still love Phillip Schofield.
“But what he did is wrong, he admitted it, he said sorry. But as a family, we all really struggle to process everything. I never know what to say. But I remember what my mother used to say.
“My mom used to say, ‘Use your bible as a navigator in life, Al.’ And the Bible says, “Let him without sin cast the first stone.” And I just don’t want to, I don’t want to say anything bad because I’m obviously conflicted. That’s how I feel.’
Philip admitted his TV career is over and he’s been shunned by Holly, 42 – who responded with an Instagram post about how to ‘keep your hair safe all summer long’.
In his first broadcast interview since the scandal broke, the presenter explained how he messaged his former co-presenter to say he was “so, so sorry” that he had lied to her about his “unwise, but not illegal” relationship with the man who is 34 years younger than him.
But he denied grooming a younger co-worker before their fling and revealed that he is suicidal saying, “Do you want me to die?” Because that’s where I am.’
Difficult: Dr Ranj Singh previously accused This Morning of having a ‘toxic’ culture of bullying and discrimination (pictured on the show in 2019)
Tears: Alison burst into tears on Friday as she admitted it was ‘really painful’ to watch Phillip be interviewed about his affair
Difficult: She said her late mother Maria, who died in 2020, told her, “Use your bible as a navigational device in life, Al.” Mrs. Hammond then quoted a passage from the Bible about a woman caught in adultery
Schofield told the BBC he first met his lover when he was 15 and at a theater school where he offered career advice without “any hint of impropriety”. Their sexual relationship began with a kiss in his dressing room at work and led to “more” about six times when the man was around 20. Schofield said they were never in love and remained “friends” after that.
But he vehemently denied grooming him as a teenager before joining ITV, stating, “What’s wrong with talking to someone?”
He said: ‘I would like to say to everyone: my family, friends, my colleagues, ITV, the public, my management company, the people I’ve lied to: I’m so sorry. But first of all I want to apologize to him.
“It may have been consensual, perfectly legal, but I shouldn’t have let it happen and that’s a grave mistake on my part and I know that because when that happens, an absolutely innocent person is being prosecuted.”