Eamonn Holmes saw red on Tuesday as he discussed the fallout from his former colleague Phillip Schofield’s dramatic return to mainstream television.
Schofield has divided Channel 5 viewers after traveling to a remote island in the Indian Ocean for new three-part series Cast Away, his first TV job since parting ways with ITV more than 18 months ago.
The married presenter’s career was thought to be over after he admitted lying about an affair with a young jogger on This Morning.
Discussing his return with GB News co-presenter Isabel Webster, Holmes reacted angrily after she insisted the presenter “hadn’t done anything illegal” by having the affair.
‘Why is that relevant?’ he barked. ‘She met the boy when she was 15, so why do you keep harping on that?’
Eamonn Holmes saw red on Tuesday as he discussed the fallout from his former colleague Phillip Schofield’s dramatic return to mainstream television.
Schofield has divided Channel 5 viewers after traveling to a remote island in the Indian Ocean for the new three-part series Cast Away, his first TV job since parting ways with ITV.
Holmes, who worked with Schofield on This Morning and has made no secret of his dislike of the presenter, previously admitted he was “very proud to have criticized him”.
“This man is addicted to fame, absolutely addicted to fame,” he said, adding that the presenter “deserved” to be in exile.
Schofield’s lover was just 15 when they met at a talk the TV presenter was giving at a drama school, The Mail on Sunday previously revealed.
At that point, the schoolboy asked him for a job and Schofield later arranged an interview for him. It led to a position as an ITV production assistant when he turned 18. Some time later, their adventure began.
While filming Cast Away, Schofield referred to himself as the “ashamed and disgraced Philip Schofield, who had an affair.”
The former This Morning presenter said: “Interestingly, I think one or two TV presenters could have done exactly the same thing.”
‘The difference is heterosexual. It is not unusual for there to be differences in age groups in the gay world.
‘That’s not that unusual in the heterosexual world, but if that had been the case for me and I had been a woman. Pat on the back. Well done, friend.
Schofield admitted having a secret affair with a younger colleague at ITV, but strongly denies harassment allegations.
At the time, Schofield denied being “forced to leave” and said he was “very, very sorry” for lying to ITV, his colleagues, his wife and his friends.
An external review, carried out by Jane Mulcahy KC on behalf of ITV, found that the channel made “considerable efforts” to uncover the truth about an alleged affair between Schofield and a jogger in 2019, but was unable to find evidence over the rumours.
Schofield “reluctantly refused” to participate in the research due to the “risk to his health,” according to the December 2023 report.
Mulcahy said that during the period he reviewed, he could find no evidence of a “toxic” culture and urged ITV to help young employees who think speaking out will have a “detrimental impact on their careers”.
At the end of the Channel 5 show, Schofield said he was undecided whether he would present again.
Beginning to cry, she said, “I’m not saying it’s over, but you know, I’ll never in a million years watch daytime TV again.” I have lived a hundred television lives.
At the end of the show, Schofield could be seen reuniting with his daughter Molly, 31, and their dog, and Molly said she was “proud to say he’s my dad.”