Phillip Schofield Addresses Departure from ITV Amid Brother’s Criminal Case

Former This Morning presenter Phillip Schofield has attributed his exit from ITV to the criminal actions of his brother, insisting he was “fired for someone else’s crime.” This revelation was made during the concluding episode of Channel 5’s documentary, Phillip Schofield: Cast Away. The 62-year-old broadcaster reflected on his situation, expressing that he would “never in a million years” consider returning to daytime television.

Schofield discussed the conviction of his brother, Timothy, who was sentenced in April 2023 for 11 sexual offences involving a child, spanning from October 2016 to October 2019. On the documentary, Schofield stated he had no reservations about reporting his brother to the authorities, emphasizing that the police had “praised” him for his actions in facilitating justice. Despite fully cooperating with ITV during the incident, Schofield recounted feeling portrayed by the media as “complicit.”

The presenter detailed the personal toll the situation took as he disclosed the news to his family, including his mother, and navigated extensive inquiries from ITV executives. “I was always open and honest with everyone at work about what was happening with my brother,” he said. Despite this, Schofield recounted receiving a surprising call from his agent notifying him that his association with This Morning was terminated due to “publicity” concerns. “I was fired for the bad publicity, for someone else’s crime,” he maintained.

Additionally, Schofield addressed his past secret affair with a younger male colleague at ITV, which added to the media frenzy. While he admitted to the affair, he adamantly denied any accusations of grooming. The narrative surrounding his exit from This Morning is contested; Schofield insists he resigned voluntarily, though the documentary suggests otherwise. An investigation led by Jane Mulcahy KC on behalf of ITV indicated that while efforts were made to verify the allegations regarding the affair, conclusive evidence was not found.

The report from December 2023 also emphasized a lack of evidence supporting claims of a “toxic” workplace culture at ITV, while recommending measures be put in place to protect junior staff from career repercussions if they report misconduct. In a poignant conclusion to the documentary, Schofield expressed uncertainty about his future in television and was shown reuniting with his daughter, Molly, who voiced her support.

Phillip Schofield: Cast Away was broadcast over three nights starting September 30 on Channel 5, and it remains available for streaming on My5. ITV has been contacted for a response to the documentary’s claims.