GB News star Eamonn Holmes has hit out at Phillip Schofield ahead of his TV comeback, saying he is ‘very proud that he threw him under the bus’.
The former presenter, 62, has claimed he was betrayed by former colleagues when details of his affair scandal emerged.
But on Friday’s episode of GB News Breakfast, Eamonn said Phillip ‘deserves to live in exile’ and accused him of being ‘addicted to fame’.
In his much-criticised television comeback on the Channel 5 program Cast Away, Schofield calls himself the ’embarrassed, disgraced Philip Schofield, who had an affair’.
The 62-year-old said: ‘Strangely 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.’
Eamonn Holmes said Phillip Schofield ‘deserves to live in exile and is addicted to fame’ in an angry rant on GB News on Monday
Phillip will tell his side of the story in his new Channel 5 show Cast Away, airing on Monday evening at 9pm.
‘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 said he is “regretful” and acknowledges that he “did something wrong” and “hurt the people around him.”
“I don’t know what price you have to pay and whether the price you pay is necessarily proportionate,” he adds.
A source at the network shot back: “It’s a stupid thing for Phil to say, and it’s just not true. Phil lied about it to his colleagues, his bosses and his friends, it wouldn’t have mattered if it was a woman or a man.”
They add that Schofield is unlikely to work with the channel again, despite his hints that he had been approached to appear on their reality show I’m A Celeb. One source said: ‘He lied to us, it would be really difficult.’
In the programme, which airs from Monday, Schofield focuses on a trio of former ITV colleagues and says: ‘I think there’s only three things.’
He pointed out that one was a “coward who never stood in line,” while another “is a coward because she never stepped up when I was being abused by that one journalist who thought I had fired them.”
Eamonn failed to hide his true feelings on live air last week after it was announced Phillip would be making his TV comeback.
The presenter presented GB News as usual during the news bulletin and although the Irish broadcaster said nothing on the matter, his reaction said it all as he mocked the announcement.
His co-host Isabel Webster introduced the segment to an incredibly negative reception from the panel, with GP Dr Renee Hoenderkamp furiously saying: ‘Isn’t this just a narcissist’s chance to have more screen time for me?
‘I don’t want to know his story, I’m not interested in it. “I know he’s a celebrity and people pick up on any news, whether it’s good or bad, but I think it’s time he might stay on the island.”
Former Home Secretary Norman Baker agreed, arguing: ‘What next? I don’t want to know about it, I’m not interested in it.
‘Why does The Sun give it two pages? I suppose newspapers are sold, but is that really the most important thing in newspapers?’
In an attempt to bring some balance to the discussion as Eamonn remained silent, Isabel continued: “Well, he was one of our most high-profile presenters in the country, he was married with two children when the scandal came to light.
‘He lost all his TV work including Dancing On Ice, he fell out with his former best friend and co-presenter Holly Willoughby, who to be fair didn’t lose her job over all of this too?’
While Norman sarcastically hit back: “My heart is bleeding,” Eamonn couldn’t help but laugh as he poked fun at Phillip Schofield’s plight.
The broadcaster was then heard adding: “Very good” before the call was directed elsewhere.
Eamonn’s reaction will come as no surprise to the public after the pair’s long, bitter feud.
Philip left ITV‘s This Morning in May 2023 after admitting to a relationship with a much younger male colleague.
And Eamonn described his colleague at the time as a ‘master narcissist’ who did not know the names of his associates.
The presenter, 64, presented GB News as usual and although he didn’t talk about it, he mocked the announcement (pictured together on This Morning in 2013)
As former Home Secretary Norman Baker sarcastically shot back: “My heart is bleeding,” Eamonn couldn’t help but laugh as he poked fun at Phillip Schofield’s plight.
The broadcaster was then heard adding: “Very good” before the call was directed elsewhere
He also called him “delusional” and “a liar” after the under-fire presenter issued a statement insisting there had been “no toxicity” on the daytime show.
Phillip’s new Channel 5 show Cast Away will air over three nights, from Monday 30 September to Wednesday 2 October, in three 60-minute episodes.
In a newly released trailer, the broadcaster can be seen breaking ground in tears as he says the scandal surrounding his departure from This Morning ‘destroyed’ him in a newly released trailer.
It will be the first time Schofield has been on TV since his departure This morning in the middle ofcandal, which dominated headlines for months, led to the breakdown of his friendship with co-host Holly Willoughby and ‘devastates’ his wife Steph.
Eamonn – a broadcaster who has been in business for more than fifty years – has known Phillip for most of his professional life. They started working together on This Morning in 2006 when Eamonn joined the program four years after his rival.
The men were never close, but appreciated each other’s broadcasting style and, according to insiders, worked side by side professionally.
But that all changed in 2019, when Eamonn’s now estranged wife and This Morning co-host Ruth Langsford made an official complaint against Phillip.
While working on Loose Women, Ruth was rejected by Phillip when she was cut off mid-link while explaining what would happen on the show during a mini-segment on This Morning.
Later in November 2021, Eamonn and Ruth were controversially axed from the show after 15 years and replaced by Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond on the Friday show.
Eamonn Holmes, Ruth Langsford, Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield were the faces of This Morning (pictured in 2020) before relationships turned sour
Eamonn later described the statement as ‘delusional’, adding: ‘Believe me Pip, if you’re looking for a fight you’ve picked the wrong person’
Eamonn was particularly saddened at being let go by ITV, claiming he was never given an accurate reason.
His cull was made even more frustrating by his belief that Phillip had received unwavering support from ITV despite his aberrant behaviour, a belief shared by Phillip’s former co-presenter Fern Britton and Amanda Holden, who briefly co-presented This Morning with him in 2015 . while Holly was on maternity leave.
The incident confirmed Eamonn’s belief that Phillip was constantly being singled out despite his bad behavior behind the scenes, sources claimed.
Following his move to GB News, Eamonn appeared less restrained in his public criticism of Phillip and Holly, with the star liking a meme that mocked the pair for ‘queuing’ at the queen in state last year.