ITV have claimed Phillip Schofield lied to Holly Willoughby and his fellow This Morning presenters as he covered up his affair with a 'younger male' colleague.
The extent of Phil's deceit emerged as the station admitted for the first time their lead presenter was investigated over a suspected fling with a co-worker three years ago, as they defended themselves from accusations of a cover up.
After Phil, 61, admitted to an 'unwise but not illegal' affair with a man he met as a teen and helped get into television, many fans of the award-winning daytime show questioned how the relationship was kept from the show's stars and bosses.
Holly Willoughby's knowledge of the affair was mulled over by fans, given her previously tight knit bond with the presenter.
Fuel was added to the fire by former presenter Eamonn Holmes, who cryptically said last week amid the confusion of Phil's sudden departure, "Holly knows the truth, the story is with her."
In a statement released today, ITV have confirmed that Holly, who has plans to remain with the show, was questioned about rumours of Phil's affair in 2020.
The investigation found 'did not find, any evidence of a relationship beyond hearsay and rumour' among Phil's co-workers or from the presenter himself who was also grilled by bosses.
An ITV spokesperson told the Mirror: "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 were 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."
Before the scandal of the last week, Holly and Phil had been thick as thieves on the ITV daytime couch.
From Phil 'personally demanding' that Holly got the co-anchor job, to cosy family holidays and boozy tequila nights their bond had gone from strength to strength during Holly's 14 year service at the station.
The bond reached a peak when Holly held Phil's hand - and took the responsibility of reading out his statement - as a tearful Phil came out as a gay to the nation in 2020.
Holly's words about 'being there for Phil forever' have resurfaced over the last two weeks as the first whispers of a secret feud between them came to light.
Former This Morning star Eamonn Holmes has insisted that Holly did know the truth about Phil's departure as he cryptically revealed there was an 'elephant in the room' at ITV towers.
Addressing his ex colleagues on GB News, Eamonn said: "Holly knows the truth, the story is with her," he added. He added: "Let's just stop this." Eamonn added: "Holly is being as false as he is and nobody is talking about the elephant in the room. She says “I thank him for all his knowledge, experience and humour”. All the things that she didn’t have when she came to the show. Well it’s true! I would call that stabbing in the back.
"I could give you a list of the lack of kindness and lack of awareness from both of them. How they would socialise, and the people around them. You just have to look at my phone, full of people who are glad to see the back of the two of them."
Days later, Phil revealed that he was cutting ties with ITV completely as he confessed to an affair with a co-worker.
In his statement, he apologised for lying about the relationship.
“The first thing I want to say is: I am deeply sorry for having lied to them (the Daily Mail), and to many others about a relationship that I had with someone working on This Morning,” he said.
“I did have a consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague at This Morning.”
He added that “contrary to speculation” the relationship was “not illegal”.
He said: “Contrary to speculation, whilst I met the man when he was a teenager and was asked to help him to get into television, it was only after he started to work on the show that it became more than just a friendship.
“That relationship was unwise, but not illegal. It is now over.”
He denied that a superinjunction had been issued by him, or on his behalf, regarding the relationship.
“When I chose to come out I did so entirely for my own wellbeing,” he said.
“Nobody ‘forced’ me out. Neither I nor anyone else, to my knowledge, has ever issued an injunction, super or otherwise, about my relationship with this colleague, he was never moved on or sacked by or because of me.
“In an effort to protect my ex-colleague I haven’t been truthful about the relationship. But my recent, unrelated, departure from This Morning fuelled speculation and raised questions which have been impacting him, so for his sake it is important for me to be honest now.”
The presenter added: “I am painfully conscious that I have lied to my employers at ITV, to my colleagues and friends, to my agents, to the media and therefore the public, and most importantly of all to my family.
“I am so very, very sorry, as I am for having been unfaithful to my wife.”
Following Phil's statement both ITV and Phil's agent YMU have said they were too parting ways with the TV presenter as they criticised his 'deceit.'
