ITV has issued a significant replace on This Morning’s future amid rumours it may very well be axed following Phillip Schofield’s affair bombshell.
The present’s future is doubtful following the poisonous fallout from Phillip Schofield’s affair revelations, with a number of hosts threatening to give up.
This Morning may face the axe after Holly Willoughby slammed Phillip Schofield’s “lies”Credit score: Rex
ITV maintains that it investigated the rumours surrounding SchofieldCredit score: Splash
However ITV insists that This Morning is “not below assessment”, with the present set to air as typical on Monday.
However the broadcaster didn’t deny the chance that the present may face a assessment within the coming months.
It comes as Holly Willoughby has accused Schofield of mendacity to her over his affair with a a lot youthful ITV worker.
Breaking her silence on Instagram, Holly mentioned: “It’s taken time to course of yesterday’s information.
“When studies of this relationship first surfaced, I requested Phil instantly if this was true and was informed it was not.
“It’s been very hurtful to now discover out that this was a lie. Holly.”
This Morning faces the axe as ITV chiefs worry the model is ceaselessly tainted – and wish changing with a brand new format, title and line-up of presenters.
The Solar on Sunday can reveal one family title has drafted a resignation assertion within the wake of Schofield’s admission that he lied about an affair with a a lot youthful male worker.
Senior producers now worry an exodus of standard presenters from the roster, which incorporates Rochelle Humes and Alison Hammond.
It got here on a dramatic day that noticed ITV defend its dealing with of the Schofield affair and admit to secretly investigating rumours three years in the past.
Former colleagues have been left reeling from shock at Schofield’s deceit and the potential injury to the present, and are considering their very own futures on it.
A supply mentioned: “The way forward for the present is hanging by a thread and the presenting expertise are not sure of their subsequent transfer – they’re deciding whether or not to leap from a sinking ship.
“The entire This Morning senior group is in full damage-limitation mode worrying concerning the presenters who may stroll away.
“Phillip little question thinks he has tried to do the fitting factor however the overwhelming feeling on set is that procedures must be put in place to make sure the identical errors by no means occur once more.
“Some presenters really feel the saga has left an excessive amount of toxicity across the present, it might’t survive and so they’re contemplating their future.”
The destiny of the favored, long-running present was being thought-about in senior circles, as rumours had been rife for years about Schofield’s affair.
The insider added: “ITV bosses additionally imagine the programme may now be too poisonous to proceed – with viewers threatening to boycott it. The complete scandal is monumentally damaging for ITV.
“Rumours have been swirling for years. And but bosses appeared to place their fingers of their ears and studiously ignored – or, crucially, not been asking sufficient questions.
“Why did ITV ignore the plethora of on-line allegations and insider intelligence? Sadly, the model is ceaselessly tainted.
“There may be a number of speak behind the scenes that they’re think about axing This Morning altogether, and changing it with a brand new look format and a brand new title for the present.”
Many This Morning stars have profitable promoting offers and their very own manufacturers, the supply added, “so this may very well be disastrous for his or her business picture”.
The present’s host Holly Willoughby, is price about £30million, touchdown offers with manufacturers together with Garnier, Food regimen Coke, Oral B and Marks & Spencer. She has additionally penned 15 parenting and youngsters’s books producing an estimated £2.5million.
In 2021, she adopted Gwyneth Paltrow by launching her personal life-style model Wylde Moon, promoting candles and jewelry.
Rochelle launched youngsters’s haircare model My Little Coco three years in the past and it has been rolled out in Boots’ shops.
The mom of three, married to JLS singer Marvin Humes, has additionally written a sequence of kids’s books.
In the meantime, Alison Hammond has been touchdown extra high-brow presenting gigs, together with Bake Off and the Baftas. She additionally has a spread of books with Penguin.
It’s feared different regulars on the present — along with the presenters — may additionally give up.
The Solar on Sunday may reveal former common contributor Dr Ranj complained of bullying when he left final 12 months.
It isn’t clear who he was accusing, however ITV bosses admitted trying into them.
A spokeswoman mentioned: “Following a grievance made by Dr Ranj, we appointed somebody to hold out an exterior assessment and the assessment discovered no proof to assist the grievance of bullying.”
ITV yesterday insisted This Morning could be again on air tomorrow, hosted by Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary.
It comes after Schofield confessed on Friday night to mendacity to ITV bosses, his household, associates and his administration concerning the fling with the TV aide, a number of a long time his junior.
Because the strain grew yesterday, ITV insisted it did examine rumours — however claimed each events repeatedly denied it when questioned.
The channel mentioned: “ITV can verify that when rumours of a relationship between Phillip Schofield and an worker of ITV first started to flow into in early 2020 ITV investigated.
“Each events have been questioned and each categorically and repeatedly denied the rumours as did Phillip’s then-agency YMU. As well as, ITV spoke to plenty of individuals who labored on
“This Morning and weren’t supplied with, and didn’t discover, any proof of a relationship past rumour and hearsay.
“Phillip’s assertion yesterday reveals he lied to individuals at ITV, from senior administration to fellow presenters, to YMU, to the media and to others over this relationship.”
An ITV spokesperson additionally mentioned: “This Morning is just not below assessment.”
Rochelle, Alison and Holly’s brokers have been requested to remark.