Phillip Schofield‘s young lover left ITV‘s senior staff surprised when he quaffed champagne alongside the channel’s brightest starsand then joined This Morning on stage at a prestigeous awards ceremony.
The low-level production assistant – who was in his twenties – was alongside Holly Willoughby on stage as she accepted the National Television gong for best daytime show in 2018.
He also made an appearance on the VIP river boat organised by ITV executive Emma Gormley, which had arranged to take the ‘talent’ up the Thames from the broadcaster’s HQ to the O2 Arena, where the awards were taking place.
One former staff member said: ‘You should have seen him on there, quaffing champagne. It was a treat for the talent and very high-ups — not the junior production assistants.’
The privillaged access came despite many of his superiors not being invited to celebrate the award.
The low-level production assistant – who was in his twenties – was alongside Holly Willoughby on stage as she accepted the National Television gong for best daytime show in 2018
It comes after Phillip, 61, admitted his TV career is over and he has been shunned by Holly
Phillip Schofieldsaid he’s ‘broken and ashamed’ but not a groomer in his first interview since admitting an affair
The display has raised questions that ITV executive Emma Gormley knew about a close relationship between Schofield and his much younger lover.
And Holly Willoughby’s statements that she knew nothing of the relationship have also been questioned after the pair were also seen talking outside the event two years before.
It comes after a bombshell interview from Schofield, where the presenter explained how he messaged his former co-host to say he was ‘so, so sorry’ for lying to her about his ‘unwise, but not illegal’ relationship with the man who is 34 years his junior.
But he denied he had groomed a younger colleague before their affair and revealed that he is suicidal, telling critics: ‘Do you want me to die? Because that’s where I am’.
The broadcaster, 61, also lifted the lid on how Holly Willoughby distanced herself from him when his paedophile brother was jailed and confirmed they are no longer speaking after he left ITV, although he admitted she may have been banned.
He said: ‘I WhatsApped her on the day I put out the statement. I said that you don’t have to reply, you probably can’t, but I want to say I’m desperately, desperately sorry’, adding Holly, who is currently on holiday in Portugal, hasn’t replied.
But shortly after Schofield confessed he’d sent her a text begging for forgiveness, Willoughby’s social media team took to Instagram to share a blasé post about hair care – with no mention of Phil or his apology.
The former presenter apologised to his family, friends and ITV viewers for lying about the affair, but insisted that much of the criticism of him since he left This Morning had been homophobic. He also told of a ‘catastrophic effect’ on his mind.
He revealed he texted former co-host Holly Willoughby begging for forgiveness over his This Morning affair lies but she never replied.
The young man had been invited to such an exclusive gathering adds credence to the fact that surely Emma Gormley (pictured) and others must have known that he and Schofield had some kind of close relationship
Willoughby will reportedly be joined by two co-hosts as she returns to the sofa on Monday.
It’s claimed she will be joined by Craig Doyle, 52, on Wednesday and Thursday’s shows, after Josie Gibson, 38, sits alongside her on Monday and Tuesday’s instalments.
‘Josie’s bubbly personality is just what the show needs to bounce back from a nightmare few weeks,’ an insider told the Sun.
‘She’s larger than life and will ease the pressure on Holly, who viewers will be glued to after the loss of her long time telly partner.
‘Craig has also been lined up and it’s a sign that the permanent role is his for the taking. Viewers have taken to him straight away and, not only is he easy on the eye, but he’s a natural in front of camera.’
It comes after Phillip, 61, admitted his TV career is over and he has been shunned by Holly – who responded with an Instagram post about how to keep ‘your hair safe all summer long’.
In his first broadcast interview since the scandal erupted, the presenter explained how he messaged his former co-host to say he was ‘so, so sorry’ for lying to her about his ‘unwise, but not illegal’ relationship with the man who is 34 years his junior.
But he denied he had groomed a younger colleague before their affair and revealed that he is suicidal, saying: ‘Do you want me to die? Because that’s where I am.’
On Friday, Alison broke down in tears on This Morning as she admitted it was ‘really painful’ to watch Phillip Schofield being interviewed about his affair.
Portugal was where mother-of-three Holly spent the half-term break with her family this week
The host, 48, who has been fronting the show with Dermot O’Leary during the fallout from the scandal, said the ‘family’ at ITV had been really struggling to process everything.
She said her late mother Maria, who died in 2020, used to tell her: ‘Use your Bible as a satnav in life, Al.’ Ms Hammond then quoted a passage from the Bible about a woman caught in adultery.
After watching the clip from the dramatic BBC interview in which Schofield said his daughters had saved his life, Ms Hammond was left in tears as she struggled to speak.
Regular guest Gyles Brandreth described the Schofield issue as a ‘human story but with public implications’, adding: ‘We are dealing with a human being that all of us here have known and liked over many years. So it makes it difficult for us.’
