Phillip Schofield statement in full after admitting affair with ‘much younger’ ITV runner

Mr Schofield admitted in his statement to a "consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague at This Morning".

By Liam Doyle, News Reporter

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has admitted in a statement that a man with whom he had an affair was "much younger", but that their relationship was "not illegal". Speaking via the Daily Mail, said he was "deeply sorry" for "misleading" people via the press and his lawyers, spoke about his relationship with a This Morning runner.  He did not name the man in question, but said he met him "when he was a teenager" and helped him start his career working in television. 

Phillip Schofield

Mr Schofield admitted he was in a relationship with a younger man (Image: GETTY)

He said: "I am making this statement via the Daily Mail to whom I have already apologised personally for misleading, through my lawyer who I also misled, about a story which they wanted to write about me a few days ago.

"The first thing I want to say is: I am deeply sorry for having lied to them, and to many others about a relationship that I had with someone working on This Morning.

"I did have a consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague at This Morning.

"Contrary to speculation, whilst I met the man when he was a teenager and was asked to help him to get into television, it was only after he started to work on the show that it became more than just a friendship. That relationship was unwise, but not illegal. It is now over."

Phillip Schofield and wife

Mr Schofield apologised for having the affair while married (Image: GETTY)

"When I chose to come out I did so entirely for my own wellbeing. Nobody 'forced' me out.

"Neither I nor anyone else, to my knowledge, has ever issued an injunction, super or otherwise, about my relationship with this colleague, he was never moved on or sacked by or because of me.

"In an effort to protect my ex-colleague I haven't been truthful about the relationship.

"But my recent, unrelated, departure from This Morning fuelled speculation and raised questions which have been impacting him, so for his sake it is important for me to be honest now."

Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby

The presenter said he has completely stepped back from ITV (Image: GETTY)

"I am painfully conscious that I have lied to my employers at ITV, to my colleagues and friends, to my agents, to the media and therefore the public and most importantly of all to my family.

"I am so very, very sorry, as I am for having been unfaithful to my wife.

"I have therefore decided to step down from the British Soap Awards, my last public commitment, and am resigning from ITV with immediate effect expressing my immense gratitude to them for all the amazing opportunities that they have given me.

"I will reflect on my very bad judgement in both participating in the relationship and then lying about it."

"To protect his privacy, I am not naming this individual and my deepest wish is that both he and his family can now move on with their lives free from further intrusion, and that this statement will enable them to do so.

"I ask the media now to respect their privacy. They have done nothing wrong, and I ask that their privacy should be respected."

Mr Schofield confirmed that he has quit ITV altogether, and will not present the British Soap Awards later this year. 

His management firm YMU has confirmed that they have parted ways with the television star, saying in a statement that talent management "is a relationship based entirely on trust", and this week the firm "learned important new information" about Mr Schofield. 

They said they have parted company with the presenter "with immediate effect".

An ITV Spokesperson said: "We are deeply disappointed by the admissions of deceit made tonight by Phillip Schofield.

"The relationships we have with those we work with are based on trust. Philip made assurances to us which he now acknowledges were untrue and we feel badly let down.

“We accept his resignation from ITV and therefore can confirm that he will not be appearing on ITV as had previously been stated.”

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