Rylan Clark aims thinly-veiled dig at former This Morning co-star Phillip Schofield after his ITV exit and affair

Rylan Clark seemed to take a thinly veiled dig at Phillip Schofield when discussing his approach to fame.

The 34-year-old presenter, who shot to fame after appearing on the X Factor in 2012, has previously worked with Phillip on This Morning but has yet to comment on his departure from the show.

The ITV show has come under scrutiny in recent weeks after it emerged Phillip lied about having an affair with a younger colleague.

In a new interview with The TelegraphRylan spoke about when people he shared a TV couch with got caught up in gossip: If it has nothing to do with him, he has no say.

Rylan said he has one rule when it comes to working in showbiz: “The only time I come into contact with something like that is when my name is involved.”

He further explained that he lives by the motto: “Work hard, be decent to everyone and be nice to everyone on the way up because everyone has a downfall.”

It comes after The Daily Mail revealed that daughters Molly and Ruby unfollowed their dad Holly on Instagram in solidarity with their dad.

Holly began her PR charm offensive this week in the wake of Phillip’s This Morning affair scandal when she appeared solo on the red carpet at the National Television Awards.

This Morning, who were booed by the crowd when their nomination was announced, missed out on the Best Daytime award, which was awarded to The Repair Shop.

Molly and Ruby joined their dad this week in a show of unity against the controversial This Morning presenter after he very publicly revealed how their once strong friendship has come to an end.

But Holly might now be surprised to learn that the two women have also turned on her in support of Phillip, who recruited her to the ITV daytime show 14 years ago.

In happier times, both Molly and Ruby joined Holly on a girls’ night out during their long summer holiday at their neighboring villas on the Portuguese Algarve.

They also knew Holly for years, and both women were teenagers when they and their father started working together.

A source close to the situation said: ‘Both Molly and Ruby have seen their dad go through hell, they have been by his side when he lost everything.

‘By following Holly on Instagram, they see her getting on with her life.

“The whole scandal has taken its toll on them, their support for him has been unwavering and this is the final nail. They are loyal to their father, despite everything that has happened.”

Molly, 30, also knew Holly in a professional capacity for many years, as she works as a talent agent at YMU, where she was under contract until 2020, when she left after a legal battle with them over future earnings.

Phillip also parted ways with the London-based company the day before revealing he had had an affair with a much younger This Morning runner behind his wife Stephanie Lowe’s back – and then lied about it to The Mail on Sunday.

Phillip is still following Holly’s sister Kelly, while Holly is still following Phillip for now.

Still, the mother of three posted a telling comment about “letting go of negativity” and “new beginnings” shortly after his criticism was revealed on social media.

Holly made her first public appearance at the National Television Awards in 13 years without Phil last Tuesday.

She launched a charm offensive with the media just hours after This Morning was criticized by viewers for its post-summer comeback.

Last Monday’s show fell by 200,000 viewers compared to the previous Friday, when Alison Hammond presented with Dermot O’Leary.

Meanwhile, Phillip was spotted leaving the Roebuck pub in Richmond last Monday – the same day Holly returned to This Morning after her eight-week summer holiday.

Last month he was also spotted enjoying a drink with Vanessa Feltz at a cocktail bar in Chiswick, West London.

When asked to address the toxic culture claims that have engulfed the show, Holly said on the NTA red carpet: ‘We’re very blessed, we have a great team of people, we really do.

‘I know it’s been talked about a lot and for me personally I don’t want to speak for other people, it’s a world I don’t recognise.

“For me, I look around and see the team getting ready and giving it their all. I just want to come to work and have more of that.”

Jane Mulcahy KC has been brought in to lead the external review of the facts surrounding the scandal and is expected to publish her findings in September.

There are deep-seated fears among bosses that they are not out of the woods yet with the results of the Schofield inquiry expected this month, which executives know they will have to publish in full.

Schofield resigned from This Morning in May. He admitted that he had dated a much younger man who worked with him on the show, and later lied about it.

In a bombshell statement to the Daily Mail, the veteran TV presenter admitted that he and the man began a relationship that was more than just a friendship. The ex-TV presenter describes this as ‘unwise but not illegal’.

Schofield further admitted lying to his employer ITV, his colleagues, his friends and his agents at the management firm YMU.

The scandal left the show in a state of disarray, and led to persistent accusations of a toxic culture behind the scenes.