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A text Phillip Schofield is said to have sent Holly Willoughby one day before his firing from This Morning has been “revealed”.
Earlier this month, Schofield reflected on being fired from the ITV daytime show during a surprise return to TV, in which he angrily rebuked his “haters” and made an apparent dig at his former co-host.
Now, it’s been claimed that he accused Willoughby of being part of his downfall, allegedly telling her on WhatsApp: “You brought me down.”
Schofield was dropped from This Morning after admitting to having a relationship with a much younger employee while he was still married. He released a statement revealing he “lied” to his employees about the affair
Relying on several anonymous sources, The Mirror claims that Schofield told Willoughby, his co-host since 2009, that “he couldn’t believe his TV sister would do this to him” and expressed frustration she did not support him publicly during repeated rumours of a behind-the-scenes feud.
A source claiming to be close to the situation told The Mirror: “He feels it was a simple gesture that might have saved his job and her refusal to do so effectively finished him off. Believing in the TV chemistry was the bedrock of the This Morning format.”
Ahead of his exit, it was reported that Schofield’s relationship with Willoughby had become strained, and that they “barely spoke” off camera.
Schofield was initially keen to pour water on the claims, stating: “We’re the best of friends – as always, she is an incredible support on screen, behind the scenes and on the phone. Holly has always been there for me, through thick and thin. And I’ve been there for her.”
After he left the show, though, Willoughby shared a statement on Schofield’s admission, saying she asked him if rumours about the relationship were true back in 2020. She said her co-host assured her they were not, adding: “It’s been very hurtful to now find out that this was a lie.”
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Days later, Schofield revealed that he text Willoughby in the immediate aftermath of the scandal, telling her he was “deeply sorry”. The presenter said that she never replied, and he “understands” why.
In Willoughby’s first show since Schofield’s departure, Willoughby opened the episode by saying she is “shaken” and “troubled” by Schofield’s admission.
After asking viewers if they were OK, in a moment that became widely mocked, the presenter, who quit the show in October 2023, said: “You, me and all of us at This Morning gave our love and support to someone who was not telling the truth. Who acted in a way that they themselves felt that they had to resign from ITV and step down from a career that they loved. That is a lot to process.
“And it’s equally hard to see the toll that it’s taken on their own mental health. I think what unites us all now is a desire to heal for the health and wellbeing of everyone. I hope that as we start this new chapter and get back to a place of warmth and magic that this show holds for all of us, we can find strength in each other.”
Willoughby declined to comment when contacted byThe Independent. ITV and Schofield has also been approached for comment.
