A major update on the Phillip Schofield inquiry has been revealed by sources close to ITV, with the investigation reported to “take months”.
Former This Morning presenter Phillip, 61, resigned from the ITV show in May after admitting to an “unwise but not illegal” affair with a younger male colleague when still married to his wife.
And ITV boss Carolyn McCall ordered the independent inquiry, led by Jane Mulcahy KC, after Phillip confessed to lying about his relationship with the young male runner.
READ MORE: This Morning fans spot ‘massive dig’ at Phillip Schofield as Holly starts show
A source told The Sun that several celebrities are set to be interviewed as part of the long investigation, including Phillip’s co-presenters Alison Hammond, Dermot O’Leary and Holly Willoughby.
(Image: BBC)
It is set to take 12 weeks to complete, but finding likely won’t be published until winter 2023, The Sun reports.
Sources told the publication that the inquiry is only just starting off, claiming: “The inquiry will speak to all those involved.
“It will focus on what happened before and after he was first given work experience on the set of This Morning. And it will also seek to establish who knew what and when.
“As well as speaking to current staff it will also invite former employees to come forward with information.”
ITV boss McCall branded the affair “deeply inappropriate”, telling the Culture, Media and Sport Committee that she first became aware of a rumour back in December 2019.
(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
But both parties “categorically denied” the affair.
Dame Carolyn added when quizzed if ITV asked the young runner to stay silent: “I want to be clear it was Phillip putting him under pressure — not ITV putting him under pressure.
“They are two quite different things.”
She said the runner – referred to as Person X – was given counselling, explaining: “We were helping him to talk freely without anybody else in the organisation even knowing about it.”
It comes after his former ITV colleague Piers Morgan confessed the ex-presenter is “struggling”.
(Image: BBC)
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He told The Sun at the TRIC Awards: “I’ve been in touch with Phillip and I think he’s struggling. It’s tough to leave any big job, let alone when it’s a big scandal.
“But he’ll be back. I think he can bounce back. I think the more its gone on, the more people are thinking, what exactly did he do that was so heinous.”
In a lengthy statement, Phillip initially admitted: “I am deeply sorry for having lied to [the Daily Mail] 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.”
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
