Phillip Schofield has denied ever issuing an ‘injunction’ to stop news of his affair before it broke today and explained why he has now confessed to the relationship.
The former This Morning star has also issued a statement confirming he has parted ways from ITV after admitting to having an affair with a younger member of staff at the channel.
The former Dancing on Ice host has also been dropped by his talent agency YMU after the affair, which was not illegal, hit the headlines.
Phillip had previously denied the relationship when asked about it by newspapers just before he came out as gay in February 2020.
Injunctions are often granted to celebrities and the rich to prevent allegations and facts being made public.
In a statement obtained by the Daily Mail, Schofield addressed rumours of an alleged injunction, saying: "When I chose to come out I did so entirely for my own wellbeing. 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."
Phillip went on to reveal exactly why he had decided to now be open with the truth.
He added to the statement: “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.
“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 the news of the affair breaking the 61-year-old released a statement revealing he would be stepping down from next month’s British Soap Awards.
He said: “I have therefore decided to step down from the British Soap Awards, my last public commitment, and am resigning from ITV with immediate effect expressing my immense gratitude to them for all the amazing opportunities that they have given me.
“I will reflect on my very bad judgement in both participating in the relationship and then lying about it.”
The Mirror can confirm Phillip's former talent agency YMU parted ways with the presenter on Thursday – with Phillip later sharing a statement to admit to the affair.
YMU Entertainment and Phillip released separate statements about 'parting company' with 'immediate effect'.
“Honesty and integrity are core values for YMU’s whole business, defining everything we do. Talent management is a relationship based entirely on trust," YMU stated.
“This week, we have learned important new information about our client Phillip Schofield. These facts contradicted what Phillip had previously told YMU, as well as the external advisors we had brought in to support him.
“As a result, on Thursday we agreed to part company with Phillip, with immediate effect.”
In 2011, Ryan Giggs was granted a super-injunction to prevent his affair with former Miss Wales and Big Brother star Imogen Thomas from being made public.
It was reported that former Manchester United player and previous BBC Sports Personality of the Year winner Giggs spent around £150,000 for the order.
The injunction itself was outed when Liberal Democrat MP John Hemming used his parliamentary privilege to name married Giggs as the mystery footballer in May 2011.
Speaking to the Sunday Mirror, Imogen said of Giggs: “He’s not like other footballers. He seemed very decent and private with good morals, and I fell for that.”
