Eamonn Holmes saw red on Tuesday as he discussed the fallout from former colleague Phillip Schofield’s dramatic return to mainstream TV.
Schofield has divided Channel 5 viewers after traveling to a remote Indian Ocean island for new three-part series Cast Away – his first TV work since parting ways with ITV more than 18 months ago.
The married presenter’s career was thought to be over after he admitted lying about an affair with a young male runner on This Morning.
Discussing his return with GB News co-presenter Isabel Webster, Holmes reacted angrily after she insisted the presenter had ‘done nothing illegal’ by having the affair.
“Why is that even relevant?” he barked. “He met the boy when he was fifteen, so why do you keep harping on that?”
Eamonn Holmes saw red on Tuesday as he discussed the fallout from former colleague Phillip Schofield’s dramatic return to mainstream TV
Schofield has divided Channel 5 viewers after traveling to a remote Indian Ocean island for new three-part series Cast Away – his first TV work since parting ways with ITV
Holmes, who worked with Schofield on This Morning and has made no secret of his dislike for the presenter, previously admitted he was ‘very proud to have thrown him under the bus’.
“This man is addicted to fame, absolutely addicted to fame,” he claimed, adding that the presenter “deserved” to live in exile.
Schofield’s lover was just 15 when they met at a lecture the TV presenter gave at a theater school, The Mail on Sunday previously revealed.
The schoolboy asked him for a job at the time, and Schofield later arranged a job interview for him. It led to a job as an ITV production assistant when he turned 18. Some time after that, their affair began.
During the filming of Cast Away, Schofield referred to himself as the “embarrassed, disgraced Philip Schofield, who had an affair.”
The former This Morning presenter said: ‘Strangely enough I think another TV presenter or two might have done exactly the same thing.
‘The difference is heterosexual. It is not unusual in the gay world for there to be a difference in age groups.
‘That’s not that unusual in the straight world, but if that had been the case with me and it had been a woman. Pat on the back. Good job, buddy.’
Schofield admitted having a secret affair with a younger male colleague at ITV, but strongly denies the grooming allegations.
Schofield denied at the time that he had been ‘forced out’ and said he was ‘deeply sorry’ for lying to ITV, his colleagues, wife and friends.
An external investigation, carried out by Jane Mulcahy KC on behalf of ITV, found that the broadcaster made ‘significant efforts’ to find out the truth about an alleged affair between Schofield and a runner in 2019, but could find no evidence to support the rumours.
Schofield “reluctantly” declined to participate in the study due to “the risk to his health,” the December 2023 report said.
Mulcahy said she could find no evidence of a “toxic” culture during the period she investigated, and urged ITV to help junior employees who believe their views will have a “detrimental impact on their careers”.
At the end of the Channel 5 programme, Schofield said he did not know whether he would return to presenting.
He started to tear up and said, “Now I’m not saying I’m done, but you know, never in a million years will I go back to daytime television.” I’ve lived a hundred TV lives.’
By the end of the program, Schofield was reunited with his daughter Molly, 31, and their dog, with Molly saying she was “proud to say he’s my dad.”