Broadcaster Dan Walker has addressed the Phillip Scofield This Morning scandal - and shared how he hopes those involved "get the help they need".
Dan - previously a breakfast presenter himself at the BBC and now working for Channel 5 News - said he feared people may be "on the edge" following the media frenzy surrounding Phillip's affair with a much younger colleague, the Mirror reports. This comes following a week which has seen the This Morning host step down and apologise for what he called the "unwise, but not illegal" indiscretion.
Phillip admitted to having a brief affair with a younger colleague, who was 20 when their sexual relationship started, and confirmed "nobody knew" - including his former co-host Holly Willoughby who he apologised to during an interview with the BBC's Amol Rajan.
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Responding to the furore on Instagram, Dan shared a statement about the scandal as he revealed his concerns about those involved.
He wrote: "I really hope the issues at This Morning are investigated and resolved. hope that the individuals involved get the help they need and the show stays on air. I also hope the relentless hounding from some elements of the media stops. People are clearly on the edge."
During his BBC interview, Phillip explained why he wanted to speak out. "I have to. Because there is an innocent person here, who didn't do anything wrong. Who is vulnerable and probably feels like I do," he said.
Later in the interview, Phillip addressed his mental health: "Do you want me to die? Because that is where I am. I have lost everything." and compared himself to Caroline Flack, a TV presenter who took her own life in 2020. He also spoke about the support he has received from his daughters.
Phillip continued: "My daughters saved my life...they haven't left me for a moment. They have been by my side every moment because they are scared to let me out of their sight...if my girls hadn't been there, I wouldn't be here because I don't see a future."
Elsewhere, in the interview, the former ITV presenter took the opportunity to apologise to everyone he lied to and the man he had an affair with.
He added: "I would say to my family, my friends, my work colleagues, the public, to ITV, to my management company, to everyone that I lied to I am desperately, desperately sorry but principality I would like to him. Because it may have been consensual, it may have been fully legal but I shouldn't have allowed it to happen and that was a grave, grave error."
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