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Monday April 17 2023
Schofield and his co-host Holly Willoughby were meant to make their comeback on television together after Schofield took a break to testify as a witness in his brother Timothy’s trial, in which Timothy was found guilty of child sexual assault.
Phillip responds to his brother’s charges by saying he ‘no longer has a brother’.
Despite Schofield returning as scheduled, Willoughby is absent after contracting shingles, which sees her off air for a week.
Wednesday May 10 2023
According to The Sun, Schofield and Willoughby are experiencing communication issues, with ‘insiders’ noting that their bond has ‘cooled’ and that tensions have been simmering for a while.
Thursday May 11 2023
Schofield hails Willoughby as his ‘rock’ while admitting ‘the last few weeks haven’t been easy for either of us’.
Monday May 15 2023
Though they continue to host This Morning together, audiences have expressed concern over a perceived drop in rapport between the two, as they carry on discussing the day’s stories, avoiding making any statements about an alleged ‘feud’.
Saturday May 20 2023
Schofield confirms his departure from This Morning with immediate effect, having hosted the show for more than 20 years.
Sunday May 21 2023
Following Schofield’s exit, ITV has confirmed that Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond will step in to host the next episode of This Morning scheduled for Monday, May 22.
Meanwhile, Holly Willoughby takes early half-term leave. She is expected to return to the show on Monday June 5.
The pair both commented on Schofield’s departure from the show, with Holly Willoughby saying: ‘The sofa won’t be the same without him’
Monday May 22 2023
During the first This Morning episode after Schofield’s departure, his former co-hosts Hammond and O’Leary lauded him, referring to him as ‘one of the finest live TV presenters this country has ever seen’.
Friday May 26 2023
Schofield admits to having a relationship with a much younger man who worked with him on This Morning, and later lying about it.
Revealing more details to the Daily Mail, the seasoned TV host confessed to having entered into a more-than-platonic relationship with the man, describing the relationship as ‘unwise but not illegal’.
He also admitted lying to The Mail on Sunday, the Daily Mail’s sister paper, which first exclusively described his relationship with the younger man earlier this month.
In his grovelling apology, Schofield said: ‘I am making this statement via the Daily Mail, to whom I have already apologised personally for misleading, through my lawyer who I also misled, about a story [sic] which they wanted to write about me a few days ago.
The Mail is aware of the younger man’s identity, but has chosen not to name him.
Saturday May 27 2023
Responding to Schofield’s statement regarding his affair, an ITV spokesperson said: ‘Further to our statement last night, ITV can confirm that when rumours of a relationship between Phillip Schofield and an employee of ITV first began to circulate in early 2020 ITV investigated.
Willoughby takes to Instagram to vent her anger about the situation, saying Phillip lied to her about the affair. ‘When reports of this relationship first surfaced, I asked Phil directly if this was true and was told it was not,’ she wrote on Instagram. ‘It’s been very hurtful to now find out that this was a lie.’
Sunday May 28 2023
Former This Morning resident doctor Ranj Singh says ‘the issues with This Morning go far beyond’ Schofield and describes it as ‘toxic’.
He states he ‘took his concerns right to the top of ITV’, with a spokesperson responding that, although the broadcaster was ‘sorry’ to hear his comments, an investigation found there was no evidence of bullying.
Willoughby replaced Fern Britton as This Morning host in 2009, and had worked alongside Schofield until his departure from the show in May 2023
Monday May 29 2023
Elaborating on his claims regarding the antics of Schofield, Mr Holmes said: ‘Thursday was playtime when he and Phillip would hit the town and then he obviously stayed overnight. There are records to show that he was brought in the next day separately in cars paid for by ITV.’
Schofield subsequently took to social media to defend himself and the show he presented for more than 20 years
Posting on Instagram, Schofield stated: ‘Now I no longer work on This Morning I am free to say this. I hope you have noticed that it is 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’.
Tuesday May 30 2023
Claims emerged that Schofield’s younger lover received a financial settlement from ITV.
The Daily Mail is told that he was given a payment following the end of the on-off relationship, which Schofield described as ‘unwise but not illegal’.
ITV insiders said bosses at some level must have known about any payment. One added: ‘There have been numerous pay-offs at ITV and they have always had to be arranged and sanctioned by people of some seniority.’
Wednesday May 31 2023
A clip of Schofield downing whisky with his younger lover on the set of This Morning reemerges.
The Christmas-themed segment, which aired in 2016, saw Schofield and Willoughby trying out alternative advent calendars while Schofield’s lover – w as a runner on ITV – was in the background dressed as an elf.
With Schofield delighted by the ‘smooth’ drink, he turned to his festively dressed lover and asked, ‘Do you want some?!’
After the younger man took a sip, he joked: ‘Let’s get the elf smashed!’
On May 31, ITV were forced to call in investigators to get to the heart of the Phillip Schofield scandal.
In a humiliating climbdown after a crisis staff meeting, the broadcaster said it was bringing in a barrister to ‘carry out an external review to establish the facts’, plunging the future of This Morning into doubt.
Thursday June 1 2023
Jane McDonald is announced as Schofield’s replacement to present the British Soap Opera Awards at The Lowry in Salford.
Meanwhile, it is revealed that Schofield is selling the flat where he used to spend ‘Playtime Thursdays’ with his younger lover, it has been claimed.
Schofield would take his junior colleague for secret trysts at the property before the studio runner left the next morning in a taxi paid for by ITV, Eamonn Holmes has claimed
The former This Morning presenter, 61, and his wife Stephanie, 59, are said to have put the ‘immaculate’ two-bedroom penthouse in south London on the market for £1.2million – the same price they paid in 2012 when it had just been built.
A listing appears to show the asking price has now been reduced by £100,000.
It is also revealed that the former This Morning star’s eldest daughter Molly only found out about her father’s statement to the Daily Mail in which he admitted lying over the relationship with the man just minutes before the story broke.
Friday June 2 2023
Phillip Schofield says he is too frightened to go out as he fears he will be spat on in the street following his departure from the show, in a lengthy sit-down BBC interview.
He also reveals that he will not use social media again following the fallout from the affair.
Monday June 5 2023
Holly Willoughby returns to This Morning for the first time since the affair, saying she felt ‘shaken, troubled, let down and worried’ about the events that led to Phillip Schofield’s departure from the ITV programme.
Eamonn Holmes launches a fresh attack on Phillip Schofield, insisting he doesn’t believe the former ITV star’s claim that he has made ‘one mistake’ in his 40-year career.
Speaking on his GB News programme, Phillip’s former colleague Eamonn called for ‘anyone watching today who has kissed Phillip Schofield, let us know’.
Holly returned to This Morning on Monday June , marking the first time she presented on the show since Phillip Schofield’s admission of an affair with a ‘much younger man’
Tuesday June 13 2023
Willoughby appears to snub her former This Morning co-host in a string of social media posts.
The presenter, 42, uses her Instagram Stories to post a beaming selfie with temporary co-host Dermot O’Leary.
Wednesday June 14 2023
ITV boss Dame Carolyn McCall admits she failed to launch a formal investigation into Schofield’s affair when rumours emerged within the network. The chief executive is among three broadcast bosses grilled by the Culture, Media and Sport Committee in the wake of the presenter’s departure.
Saturday August 26 2023
Reports say Holly has spoken to the barrister in charge of the independent inquiry into the Schofield scandal.
Saturday September 2 2023
A trailer for the channel’s new daytime schedule, which starts on Monday, shows Ms Willoughby smiling for the cameras as she prepares to take to the famous This Morning sofa.
Monday September 4 2023
Holly returns to This Morning following her long break, with viewers calling the moment ‘cringeable’.
