Phillip Schofield’s “much younger” male lover would be “ferried” between the ITV studios and the presenter’s house during the peak of their relationship, Eamonn Holmes has claimed.
The claim emerged after the 61-year-old resigned from ITV after admiting to an “unwise, but not illegal” affair with the individual in question.
The veteran TV presenter said that the affair began while he was still with his wife, Stephanie, to whom he is “very, very sorry”.
Speaking on GB News during an exclusive interview with Schofield’s ex-colleague Eamonn Holmes, Dan Wootton - who also previously worked with ITV - divulged on what he witnessed while working with the broadcaster.
Wootton said: “He was there a lot. He's been pictured on the sofa as a very young teenager sitting in between Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield.
“And then I remember working at ITV daytime, and he was a non-negotiable part of Phillip’s life.
“Sometimes there would even be taxis, ferrying this young man between the studio and Phillip’s house.”
Schofield’s ex-colleague, Eamonn Holmes, concurred with the statement, adding: “I didn't know but I've subsequently found out from a very, very good source, because he would arrive much earlier in the morning than I would for the program, that he was delivered from Philip’s London home.
Phillip Schofield announced his resignation from This Morning on social mediaPA“Usually on a Friday morning, because Thursday was playtime when he and Phillip would hit the town and then he obviously stayed overnight.
“There are records to show that he was brought in the next day separately in cars paid for by ITV.”
Holmes added that he and his wife, Ruth Langsford, who also previously worked on the show, would “look after” the individual in question.
Questioned over who would foot the bill for the taxi, he said: “It would have to go through the accounts office and they would have seen that and known that.
“This lad, lovely fellow, lovely fella, really good talented fella.
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“Ruth and I particularly looked after him, he never once talked to us about any relationship, but we knew he was in a bad way.”
Schofield admitted to lying about his affair to a host of individuals including his ex-wife after facing months of controversy including reports of a rift with co-host Holly Willoughby, his brother’s sex abuse trail and controversy over his visit to the late Queen’s lying-in-state.
In a statement, the presenter issued an apology to his colleagues, friends and family.
He said: “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.”
The presenter added: “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.”
This Morning is now facing a hefty fallout over the matter, including suggestions the show harbours a “toxic” culture.
The programme’s ex-resident doctor, Dr Ranj Singh, said in a statement he felt as though he was “managed out” for raising concerns about “bullying and discrimination”.
Schofield issued a further statement to defend the programme against such accusations, arguing it is “the best show to work on, with the best people”.
Holmes hit out at the comments, saying Schofield is a “chief narcissist” in an explosive attack.
Speaking to Dan Wootton in an exclusive GB News interview, he said: “he's either deluded, or he's lying. And he has admitted he tells lies, and he tells a lot of lies.
“In life, I have always had this belief that a lie unchallenged becomes the truth.
“So although I don't want to stand up to Schofield constantly pointing out where he's lying, I feel I have to. Is he delusional?
“Is he so detached from real life at This Morning that he didn't realise what was going on? I'll often say this to Ruth [Langsford], maybe he believes all this stuff.
“Maybe he did not see what went on, actually, because there's something wrong with him. But he is the chief narcissist.
“He is a complete and utter dyed in the wool narcissist, everything is about him.”
An ITV Spokesperson said: "Further to our statement on Saturday, ITV can confirm that when rumours of a relationship between Phillip Schofield and an employee of ITV first began to circulate in early 2020 ITV investigated.
"Both parties were questioned and both categorically and repeatedly denied the rumours as did Phillip's then agency YMU.
"In addition, ITV spoke to a number of people who worked on This Morning and were not provided with, and did not find, any evidence of a relationship beyond hearsay and rumour.
"Phillip’s statement on Friday reveals that he lied to people at ITV, from senior management to fellow presenters, to YMU, to the media and to others over this relationship."
