Eamonn Holmes today labeled Phillip Schofield “delusional” after the host under fire issued a statement insisting there had been “no toxicity” at This Morning.
The daytime show collapsed on Friday after Schofield admitted to lying about his relationship with a much younger colleague, with ITV losing millions of pounds in sponsorship deals.
In a bombing raid today, Schofield, 61, attacked those who claimed there was toxicity behind the scenes of the program, accusing them of holding a grudge.
Holmes – who previously helped present This Morning but now works for GB News – has since issued a scathing reply to the statement, saying that if Schofield was ‘looking for a fight’ then he had ‘picked the wrong person’.
The 63-year-old tweeted: ‘Schofield has just issued a delusional statement. Like Holly, he puts it on Insta Stories, so if it goes wrong, there’s no record after 24 hours. I’m reluctant to give the liar any more publicity, but believe me, Pip, if you’re picking a fight, you’ve picked the wrong person!’
Eamonn Holmes today denounced Philip Schofield for releasing a ‘delusional’ about the scandal on This Morning
Holmes said if Schofield was ‘looking for a fight’ he ‘picked the wrong person’
For the first time since leaving the show today, Schofield spoke out against those ‘with a grudge against me’
Holmes has been Schofield’s critic for several years, believing he would get his own “credit” for the way he has treated others – including wife Ruth Langsford.
It comes as This Morning’s former GP, Dr Ranj Singh, lashed out at the show’s ‘toxic’ culture, claiming last night that two years ago when he worked there, he raised concerns about ‘bullying and discrimination’ and then felt that he was ‘managed’. for whistle blowing.
Schofield addressed the claims in a statement on Instagram today, writing, “Now that I’m no longer working on This Morning, I’m free to say this.
“I hope you’ve noticed that it’s the same handful of people with a grudge against me or the show who seem to have the loudest voice.
“This Morning IS the best show to work on, with the best people. In all the years I worked there, there was no toxicity. You can listen to those persistently loud voices if you want.
“But the thousands of guests over the years, thousands of staff and crew, hundreds of presenters and contributors all know it IS a family of amazing, talented, kind, hard-working people.”
In a statement yesterday, Dr Ranj said the “problems” at This Morning “go far beyond” the host.
He said, “I was on the show for 10 years and I really loved and appreciated working there.
Over time, however, I became increasingly concerned about what went on behind the scenes and how people, including myself, were treated.
“I didn’t know the truth about what was going on with Phillip, but I do know that the problems with TM (This Morning) go way beyond him.
“It takes more than one person to create a culture.”
Today, the show’s new hosts tried to quell the backlash by saying how much they loved making the program. O’Leary said, “We love making this show for all of you,” to which Hammond added, “That’s what we keep doing”
Guest Gyles Brandreth then commented, “This is a nice place to be. I enjoy being here. We are happy people in a happy place with some interesting stories’
Dr. Ranj said he had raised concerns with senior executives at ITV as he had been heavily involved in “diversity, anti-bullying and mental health projects” across the channel.
“Then I noticed I was being used less and less,” he continued.
“I even took my concerns straight to the top of ITV: the culture at This Morning had become toxic, no longer in line with ITV values, and I felt that because I whistled I was being led out.
“But as history and experience have taught us, things like bullying and discrimination are very hard to prove, especially in hindsight and when those in power dictate the narrative.
“As we’ve seen, no assessment or research is foolproof.”
The doctor said he was confident things would be addressed and changes would be made, but that he hasn’t worked on the show since, adding that two years after filing complaints “it still hurts do’.
In a blow to ITV, This Morning’s biggest sponsor, Arnold Clark, has announced it will not be renewing its existing multimillion-dollar contract with the channel in the autumn as planned.
The car dealer’s multi-year deal with This Morning started in September 2021, but the car dealer has confirmed it will not be renewed when the contract expires later this year.
A source told The Sun: ‘There is a lot of speculation about the future of This Morning and some staff are worried about their jobs.
“Phil’s admission of cheating has plunged ITV into a crisis it has never faced before.
‘It is common knowledge internally that they have lost over £2 million in sponsorship deals since Phil’s affair became public.
Arnold Clark, main sponsor of This Morning, is also reconsidering his position.
“Brands don’t think ITV is a safe bet at the moment.”
Car dealership Arnold Clark, the show’s biggest sponsor, has announced it will not renew its existing multimillion-dollar contract with the channel in the fall as planned
For the first time since leaving the show today, Schofield spoke out against those ‘with a grudge against me’
Another source told The Mirror: “The next few weeks will be a desperate attempt to save the show – and the execs’ jobs.
“Fingers are being pointed at the CEO, even though he has admitted that he lied to them all.
The show’s wholesome image has clearly been tarnished, but optimistic ITV execs won’t just throw the baby out with the bathwater.
“They are determined to prove that the brand is stronger than any presenter, and that they can give it a fresh start after Schofield.”
This morning has been surrounded by chaos since Schofield admitted in a statement to the Daily Mail on Friday that he had lied about his relationship with the younger man to ITV, his lawyers, his talent agency and his co-star of 14 years.
Last night the scandal showed no sign of relief with new photos emerging of a smiling Schofield with his former lover and Willoughby in 2018 as they left a This Morning Live event.
And the Mail revealed that while ITV insists it launched an investigation into the men’s relationship when rumors began circulating in 2020, the host’s former lover said he was never questioned about the matter.
It is believed that Holly Willoughby is fighting to keep her role as a presenter on the show and hopes to get over the scandal.
She is currently off the air since Schofield’s sudden departure, but this was due to a planned holiday for the school holidays.
The 14-year-old presenter is expected to make her return to the program on Monday 5 June.
But Willoughby is facing calls to leave the show as well, with former culture secretary Nadine Dorries claiming the beloved presenter has ‘questions to answer’.
Dr. Ranj said he took his concerns to ‘the top’ of ITV but felt he was ‘taken out’
In a lengthy Instagram post, Dr Ranj Singh said he had ‘thought long and hard’ before delving into the ongoing scandal
The television doctor confirmed that he had taken his concerns about the behavior of editors and senior producers to ITV and subsequently seen his screen time drop.
Since Schofield dramatically left the program earlier this month, pictures of the longtime presenter have been removed from ITV studios in White City.
A large framed photo of Schofield hanging in London’s TV Center where the show is filmed was also removed.
Some have called for the mid-morning show to be canceled altogether, with the editor who launched it 36 years ago calling for it to “die with dignity” last night.
Dianne Nelmes said the show had grown “tired” and was now “shipwrecked by scandal.”
She added: “The situation is very sad. Whatever happened, Phillip has been a loyal host of the show.
“I don’t think Holly can do this show alone, not even with Alison Hammond, who is said to be the preferred outcome. I don’t think Holly can handle it. Phil will be missed.’
