Piers Morgan criticized daytime TV for being ‘contaminated by a bunch of savages’ after Phillip Schofield was given a 35-second quick broadcast to commemorate his 21-year career on ITV’s This Morning.
The TalkTV host told Times Radio there is “nothing more brutal” than the way broadcasters are treated when “the plug is pulled”.
“Showbiz is a shallow pool full of shark-infested water, one day you’re done walking, the next day you’re a feather duster,” Piers said yesterday.
The broadcaster, who left ITV’s Good Morning Britain in 2021 amid controversy over comments he made about the Duchess of Sussex, added he has ‘some sympathy’ for Phil and felt he was ‘entitled to a better farewell’ .
Phil, who announced his resignation on Saturday, received a short tribute from stand-in This Morning presenters Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond at the start of yesterday’s show.
ITV bosses said Phil will present the Soap Awards early next month, as well as an untitled ‘brand new peak time series’, but industry insiders believe his future with the network is uncertain.
Piers Morgan (pictured in January) said daytime TV was “plagued by a pack of savages” following Philip Schofield’s 35-second fast-paced broadcast and added that he has “some sympathy” for the axed ITV presenter who he says is “right had on a better broadcast’
Phil sensationally left ITV’s This Morning on Saturday at 21 after a ‘feud’ with his former best friend and co-presenter Holly Willoughby. The pair were pictured together on the show last week
Phil sensationally quit This Morning after 21 years on Saturday following a ‘feud’ with his former best friend and co-presenter Holly.
After days of reports that Phil was being axed at the channel, he took to Instagram on Saturday to reveal that he had “agreed to step down from This Morning with immediate effect.”
Kevin Lygo, ITV’s managing director of media and entertainment, announced Phil’s departure and confirmed that the 61-year-old will still host the Soap Awards in Manchester next month.
He also said network executives “look forward to continuing our relationship with Phillip,” who would host a new series.
said Phil would still present the Soap Awards in Manchester and a new series next month, adding
However, industry insiders said The times they would be ‘extremely surprised’ to see Phil on ITV after the awards ceremony.
“The heat won’t go away,” said a source.
Another claimed that the network could make a pilot episode of the unnamed show to “fulfill their agreement,” but ultimately will “facilitate” Phil, adding: “He’ll end up on a rival channel to make documentaries about to make railways.’
The insiders also noted how ITV promised to ‘continue working with Jeremy Kyle on other projects’ following the cancellation of The Jeremy Kyle Show in 2019, but ‘nothing ever materialised’.
ITV bosses said Phil will present the Soap Awards early next month, as well as an untitled ‘brand new peak time series’, but industry insiders believe his future with the network is uncertain. Phil is pictured at last year’s Soap Awards
Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield have been co-presenters of This Morning for 14 years. Pictured: The co-stars hug after Phil came out as gay live on This Morning in 2020
Phil’s departure follows the breakdown of his friendship with Holly, which is believed to have started three years ago and deteriorated when his brother Timothy Schofield went on trial for sex offenses against a teenage boy.
Phil left the show after his co-presenter Holly gave ITV bosses an ‘it’s him or me’ ultimatum, leading to Dermot and Alison temporarily stepping in yesterday.
The pair were all smiling as they took control of the show, using just 98 words and 35 seconds to honor Phil’s 21-year stint on the show.
Opening This Morning, Alison told viewers, “Now we can’t start today’s show without paying tribute to the man who has sat on This Morning’s bench for the past two decades, Phillip Schofield.”
Dermot added: ‘As a show, everyone on and off the screen at ITV and This Morning would like to say a huge thank you to Phil for what he has done to make the show such a success over the last 21 years.’
Alison continued, “We just 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.”
The two announced they would be returning to the show today at the end of yesterday’s show by saying, “See you tomorrow.”
Meanwhile, Holly is taking an early break for half the year and will return on June 5 in two weeks, according to ITV.
Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond replaced Phil and Holly yesterday. The pair were all smiling as they took control of the show, using just 98 words and 35 seconds to honor Phil’s 21-year stint on the show. Dermot and Alison were pictured on This Morning yesterday
In the months leading up to his departure from This Morning, Phil faced a number of controversies.
The 61-year-old has been at the center of numerous headlines recently due to reports of a breakup with Holly, his brother’s sexual assault trial and a furor over his visit to the Queen in state.
Reports began last week that the TV host and Holly barely spoke off camera.
Following press reports that their relationship had come under strain, Phil hailed Holly as his “rock” in a statement to The Sun.
He said, ‘As I’ve said before, Holly is my rock. We are the best of friends – as always she is an incredible support on screen, behind the scenes and on the phone.
“Holly has always been there for me through thick and thin. And I’ve been there for her. The past few weeks haven’t been easy for either of us.’
Despite the speculation, the duo put on a united front on last week’s show and made no reference to press stories about their relationship.
The reports came after Phil took a pre-scheduled farewell to the ITV show last month surrounding his brother’s sexual abuse trial at Exeter Crown Court.
Former civilian police officer Timothy, 54, was convicted of 11 sex offenses involving a child between October 2016 and October 2019, including two for sexual activity with a child.
In a statement from his lawyer after the conviction, the former This Morning presenter said: ‘My overwhelming concern is and always has been for the well-being of the victim and his family. I hope their privacy is now respected.
“If my brother had ever confessed to a crime to me, I would have acted immediately to protect the victim and his family.
“These are despicable crimes and I welcome the convictions. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t have a brother anymore.’
Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield were ‘tense’ backstage before posing for an awkward photo on set
Phil and Holly have enjoyed co-hosting for over 13 years – which unraveled in just 10 days
Phil and Holly have presented the show together since 2009 and have also co-hosted ITV’s Dancing On Ice. The network will make further announcements about the presentation of the skating competition in due course, ahead of its return in January 2024.
Last September, the duo also faced backlash over claims they had skipped the queue for the Queen in state.
Following an online protest, ITV CEO Dame Carolyn McCall said the couple had been ‘misrepresented’ about the matter and stressed that they were present as members of the media to film a segment for This Morning .
Following Phil’s departure, ITV has said that Holly will remain on the show and ‘co-present with members of the This Morning family’.
This Morning viewers are now speculating who will replace Phil, with Alison hailed as the bookmaker’s favorite for the job.