ITV This Morning bosses 'ban under-18s working on show' following Phillip Schofield scandal
ITV has reportedly 'banned' under-18s from working on This Morning following Schofield saga
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ITV has reportedly decided to forbid anyone under the age of 18 from working on popular daytime show, This Morning.
While the channel offered apprenticeship programmes and work experience slots at the company - according to its careers site - it's believed minors won't be able to hone their craft on the daytime show.
This Morning is now hosted by Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley but found itself at the centre of controversy last year thanks to former host Phillip Schofield.
Schofield, whose been making inroads to return to the spotlight on social media of late, admitted to engaging in an "unwise but not illegal" relationship with a younger male colleague.
The presenter admitted to lying to bosses and colleagues about the affair and an independent inquiry found ITV "was unable to uncover the relevant evidence" of the relationship until Schofield's admission.
The measures taken by ITV are reported to have been so the show avoids any future sagas, with an insider reportedly saying: "ITV doesn’t want anything like the Schofield scandal happening again so they're tightening their policies big-time.
Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield fronted ITV's This Morning and Dancing on Ice
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"They're making it tougher for friends and family members of senior employees to get a job here so that there's no suggestion of nepotism - or anything else.
"One producer's son is working as a runner but is only allowed to do it because he's based in a different department.
"The rules are now whiter than white about hiring. No more 16 or 17 year olds anymore, either. It's 18 and over," they told the Sun.
According to the publication, the channel's apprenticeship programme is still running but the required age to participate has been bumped up from 16 to 18+.
Phillip Schofield left ITV back in May 2023
BBCAn ITV spokesperson told GB News in response to the reports: "There has been no ban of under 18 year olds at ITV and we continue to offer work placement opportunities to under 18 year olds across the business. There are specific initiatives available via ITV Academy, and anyone of a minimum of 14 years old and in full-time education is able to apply for work experience."
The measures taken by ITV follow its demand on staff to declare all workplace relationships to the higher-ups last year.
May 2024 marked a year since Schofield left ITV following the scandal.
12 months on, Schofield broke cover on social media for the first time with a social media update about his pet dog.
Schofield has kept himself out of his updates for the most part but shared the first snap of himself on social media for over a year earlier this month.
His foray back into the spotlight has been welcomed by several former ITV colleagues, with the likes of Josie Gibson and Alison Hammond "liking" his Instagram updates.
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Rumours of a potential I'm A Celebrity stint or interview with Piers Morgan have followed since his spotlight comeback.
Following his Instagram posts, sources claimed Schofield felt he was "thrown under the bus" by ITV after his exit.
"He thinks he was thrown under the bus. From some of what he says, he feels he is the victim," they told the Daily Mail.
"Phillip firmly believes that he has been mistreated by ITV."