Kerry Katona has said she met the 'lovely' runner Phillip Schofield had an affair with on several occasions and readdressed her infamous 2008 This Morning interview during a recent TV appearance. Kerry, 42, appeared on GB News in the wake of Phillip's bombshell admission that he had an 'unwise but not illegal' affair with a 'much younger' This Morning colleague while still married to his wife Stephanie Lowe.
The former Atomic Kitten star admitted she had heard rumours but 'did not know' about the affair. She added: "There were always rumours. I know his wife, my heart goes out to her. I met the young runner several times, lovely lad."
She also addressed her 2008 interview on the ITV mid-morning show, in which Phillip accused her of "slurring" her words, reports the Mirror. During the chat, Phillip – who co-hosted This Morning alongside Fern Britton at the time – asked Kerry: "Your speech is a bit slurred, how are you feeling right now?
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"Our phone is already going off up in the gallery from people asking is she ok. We are merely pointing out someone who is very different from a few years ago."
She has now reflected on the interview, telling GB News: "I don't think people understand what that interview did to me emotionally. Even now, when I go back to ITV – which isn't very often – there is a sense of snobbery. I feel like I have to impress them, I can't slur."
In 2021, Kerry said the interview left her feeling suicidal. She explained on Marnie's Home Truths how she was in fact struggling with bipolar disorder. She explained: "Never once did they say to me, 'Oh, oh right - what’s bipolar and what’s the medication you’re taking?' I didn’t get any of that."
Kerry, who is going on tour this month, said the backlash "was just awful" to deal with, adding: "Next day, front page of the papers, 'Sherry Kerry', 'Merry Kerry'. It was just awful. I was suicidal. I wanted to die, I wanted to kill myself. It was everywhere."
She added: "That was pure bipolar medication. Coke doesn’t make you slur. I was never a really big drinker if I’m brutally honest. It was always the drugs for me. I’ve got no reason to lie that that wasn’t drugs – if it was, why would I say it wasn’t? It was pure bipolar medication."
Phillip admitted to having the affair in an explosive statement earlier this week and resigned from ITV immediately while his talent agent, YMU, dropped him. In his statement, he said: "I did have a consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague at This Morning.
"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."
ITV later responded a spokesperson said the broadcaster was "deeply disappointed" by Phillip's "deceit". An ITV spokesperson told the Mirror: "We are deeply disappointed by the admissions of deceit made tonight by Phillip Schofield.
"The relationships we have with those we work with are based on trust. Philip made assurances to us which he now acknowledges were untrue and we feel badly let down. We accept his resignation from ITV and therefore can confirm that he will not be appearing on ITV as had previously been stated."
Later, the revealed they had undertaken an internal investigation into the affair, which was denied by both parties. The statement read: "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.
"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."
ITV have since appointed a barrister to investigate Phillip's admission and departure.
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