This Morning break their silence over Phillip Schofield amid his absence from the show

This morning they broke their silence on Phillip Schofield, as it was revealed that he will not return to the show for weeks amid his brother’s sexual abuse trial.

The presenter has been missing from the famous sofa this week as his younger brother Timothy Schofield, 54, faces trial on sexual charges, with co-star Holly Willoughby along with other presenters.

And while ITV’s daytime show has been keeping quiet over Phillip’s absence, they shared a special message on Instagram for the star on Saturday to mark his 61st birthday.

Alongside a photo of Phillip smiling on set with a confetti effect falling around him, This Morning writes: “Happy birthday @schofe from everyone at This Morning.”

This was accompanied by other images of Phillip on the show, with snaps including one of him laughing with co-star Holly, 42, and snuggling with fellow presenter Alison Hammond, 48.

Missing: The presenter has been missing from the famous sofa this week as his younger brother Timothy Schofield, 54, faces trial on sex charges, with co-star Holly Willoughby along with other presenters

Schofield has been absent from the show since Monday and will also miss next week, so duo Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary, who usually present the show on Fridays, will take over.

Earlier this week, Alison Hammond replaced Schofield alongside Holly Willoughby, before Joel Dommett, 37, did on Wednesday and Thursday.

It was announced during the show on Thursday that Alison and Dermot, 49, will fill in for the couple on their usual two-week Easter break.

ITV had already scheduled the duo’s break, but it will mean Schofield will miss at least three weeks of shows before he returns to the air.

Timothy Schofield faces a total of 11 sexual offense charges against a young teenager over three years since October 2016.

He denies all charges against him, which include performing sexual acts in front of his accuser, causing him to watch sexual acts and engage in sexual acts.

Phil’s regular co-host Holly Willoughby mocked the 60-year-old presenter’s absence on Monday: “Phil has a week off so all the adults have left the building and Alison has come!”

It hasn’t been confirmed yet when Holly and Phil will return to This Morning as a duo, but it will be at least several weeks now.

Message: While ITV’s daytime show has kept quiet about Phillip’s absence, they did share a special message on Instagram for the star on Saturday to mark his 61st birthday.

Nice gesture: Next to a photo of Phillip smiling on set with a confetti effect falling around him, This Morning writes: “Happy birthday @schofe from everyone at This Morning.”

Funny moments: This was accompanied by other images of Phillip on the show, with snaps including one of him laughing with co-star Holly, 42.

Sweet: Phil is seen snuggling up with fellow presenter Alison Hammond, 48, in another image

Holly herself mentioned on the show that she would be off screens for “a couple of weeks.”

Phil is a witness at the trial and a statement from the presenter was read in court this week, after Schofield allegedly confessed to a sexual act he had performed with the teenager to his older brother.

The TV presenter told his brother it “should never happen again” and later gave a statement to police that he is part of the case against his younger brother, the court was told.

Exeter Crown court heard this week how Schofield traveled across the country to visit his brother, the TV presenter, in a “state of great agitation”, saying he was about to take his own life.

When it arrived, a statement from Phil described how he was doing the dishes when his brother began to tell him about a sexual act he and the teen had performed together.

In a statement read in court by prosecutor Robin Shellard on Wednesday, Phillip recalled how he received a call from his brother on September 12, 2021.

Break: Other ITV presenters have stepped into Phil’s shoes to present alongside Holly Willoughby this week

Here Come The Girls: Earlier this week, Alison Hammond replaced Schofield opposite Holly Willoughby

New co-star: The Masked Singer host Joel Dommett, 37, filled in for Wednesday and Thursday.

Charges: Timothy Schofield faces a total of 11 sexual offense charges against a young adolescent over three years as of October 2016 (Phillip [L] and timothy [R] photographed in 2015, before the alleged sexual abuse began)

“It was a weekend and he asked me if he could talk,” she said. ‘Tim was in an extreme state of agitation.

He said he was about to commit suicide. She said that his head was all messed up and everything was all messed up.

Schofield reportedly wanted to open up after the victim confronted him the previous month, but horrified the host when he went into graphic detail.

He continued: ‘We finished having dinner and I was doing laundry. Tim was standing behind me and he said you’re going to hate me for what I’m about to say.

I said there’s nothing he can say that would make me hate him.

‘He said [the alleged victim and him] they spent their time together and last year they watched porn and sex on the couch.

‘I turned around and said, ‘What did you just say?’ Schofield later said that “it was a moment where we were together.”

“Tim said it was just this one time and I told him it should never happen again,” Phillip said.

The defendant then began to describe the alleged victim’s body, with Phillip yelling, ‘F***, stop!’

“I told him this had to stop,” the statement continued. “I just didn’t want to hear any of the details, but it sounded like it was just one time.

‘I said I don’t want you to tell me anything else. Regardless of how it happened, it must never happen again.

‘He said it was just [their] time. I said “what the hell is that?” Phil said that he never spoke to his brother about it again.