ITV bosses are reported to have made huge changes to their recruitment systems in the wake of the Phillip Schofield debacle.
Schofield, 62, quit both This Morning and ITV altogether last May after speculation of a rift between him and former co-host Holly Willoughby. However, allegations came to light that Schofield had an affair with a much younger colleague on the show – claims he confirmed were true.
During the initial investigation, it was revealed that the broadcaster had managed to get the person a job on the show, after he had managed to make a connection with the runner. As a result, ITV are said to be bringing in sweeping new changes to ensure that similar situations are not repeated.
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According to The Sun, ITV producers are now banning under-18s from landing jobs on both the show and the channel in general. As well as this, staff members at the station will not be able to give a hand to family and friends as ITV implements a so-called “nepotism ban”.
(Image: S Meddle/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Speaking to the paper, a source closed to the show has said that bosses are keen to show that lessons have been learned and other situations will not be repeated. “ITV doesn’t want anything like the Schofield scandal happening again so they’re tightening their policies big-time,” they said.
“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,” the insider added. “One producer’s son is working as a runner but is only allowed to do it because he’s based in a different department.”
(Image: S Meddle/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Currently, ITV’s Apprenticeship programme accepts 16-year-olds and over to get a chance to work in television. However, following the new rule announcement, this will now be raised to 18 years old and over.
Similarly, ITV had been previously seen to be taking in people aged between 14 and 17 as part of a week-long Experience Programme. However, this has since been phased out.
(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
It comes amid a slew of changes at the broadcaster to stop other debacles like Phillip’s from taking place. In a similar shake-up of rules at the station revealed last year, it was revealed that staff at ITV were now being made to declare all workplace relationships.
Phillip left ITV in May last year when the allegations regarding his relationship came to light. Speaking to The Sun in a rare interview addressing the allegations, he said that the overall relationship was “unwise but not illegal”.
This Morning airs every weekday at 10am on ITV1 and ITVX.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
