An ITV boss has today denied claims mistakes were made during an investigation into Phillip Schofield's affair with a younger co-worker - after the 2020 enquiry found the claims 'did not go beyond hearsay and rumour.'
Schofield admitted to an 'unwise but not illegal' relationship with a male runner on This Morning this weekend.
After his announcement, ITV confirmed an investigation into 'rumours' surrounding their lead presenter took place three years ago but Schofield 'repeatedly denied' the affair.
ITV say Schofield's colleagues were also quizzed on the speculation but again 'no evidence was found'.
After Schofield confessed all, last night The Mirror revealed that furious staff at This Morning are now threatening a mass 'walkout' with the daytime show's reputation 'damaged beyond repair' over the scandal.
Well placed sources say the atmosphere has become 'so toxic' the show may be axed.
Calls are now mounting for a probe into ITV's flagship daytime show with Schofield's statement only raising 'more questions' into what went down backstage.
Amid the mounting pressure, director of television at ITV Kevin Lygo has now hit back at claims 'mistakes' were made into the broadcaster's previous investigation.
Asked to comment further, Lygo told Sky News: "We made a statement today, yesterday. I think it's all clear."
Asked if errors were made in the 2020 investigation, he replied: "No."
On Saturday ITV revealed they had conducted an investigation into Schofield's personal life for the first time.
A spokesperson told the Mirror: "When rumours of a relationship between Phillip Schofield and an employee of ITV first began to circulate in early 2020 ITV investigated.
"Both parties were questioned and both categorically and repeatedly denied the rumours as did Phillip's then agency YMU.
"In addition, ITV spoke to a number of people who worked on This Morning and were not provided with, and did not find, any evidence of a relationship beyond hearsay and rumour.
"Phillip’s statement yesterday reveals that he lied to people at ITV, from senior management to fellow presenters, to YMU, to the media and to others over this relationship."
It comes as former Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries has called for a probe into Schofield's affair.
The former culture secretary accused the former This Morning presenter of abusing 'authority, power and trust'.
Speaking to BBC's Laura Kuenssberg today, Dorries said she did not believe everything should 'move on' after Schofield's 'grovelling apology.'
"It's not the case I'm afraid. What it actually does is opens up more questions as to what happened.
"We know that there were complaints lodged with ITV over a long period of time. What happened to those complaints? I think the editor of the programme Martin Frizell has some questions to answer himself."
Dorries said Schofield's former co-star Holly Willoughby also has 'questions to answer.'
"How did that young boy, so young, get a job at ITV. What were the processes involved. What was the safeguarding in place for someone so young at that age. What contact was first made. Who contacted who?" she asked.
Last night, Willoughby released a statement to say she was 'hurt' by Phil's admission of an affair after she had confronted him previously and he had denied the rumours.
A spokesperson for This Morning told the Mirror: "This Morning is not under review and there’s no plans for the show to be axed. This Morning will return as normal tomorrow.”
Dorries has also accused Schofield of “bullying” a co-host when she appeared on ITV ’s This Morning.
The I’m A Celebrity …! MP accused the presenter of poor behaviour when she went on the studio sofa to talk about the Government's moves to boost online safety.
Big Brother 2010 winner Josie Gibson was standing in for regular host Holly Willoughby when the March 2022 interview took place.
“I just found him to be quite bullying in his attitude towards the co-host who was standing in for Holly Willoughby,” said Ms Dorries.
“That made me feel more uncomfortable in answering questions.
"When the camera was on me and I was talking, he started aggressively jabbing at the script with his hand so the pages were rattling and the co-presenter looked terrified.”
