This Morning finally addressed Phillip Schofield's affair with a much younger colleague, resulting in presenter Alison Hammond breaking down in tears.
Phillip broke his silence in a series of emotional interviews as he spoke about his difficult few weeks and addressed meeting the younger man and starting an affair when he was of age.
When opening the ITV show today, presenters Dermot O'Leary and Alison responded to his interview with BBC presenter Amol Rajan.
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Afterwards, Alison became visibly emotional and began to cry. She said: "I'm finding it really painful, I loved Phillip Schofield, it's weird because I still love Phillip Schofield, however, what he's done is wrong. He's admitted it, he's said sorry, as a family, we're all really struggling to process everything I never know what to say.
"I remember what my mum said, my mum always said 'use your bible as your satnav in life Al, in the bible it says 'he without sin, casts the first stone,' I don't want to say anything bad because I'm in conflict."
Earlier in the week, the pair addressed claims that This Morning was a "toxic environment", as they revealed they "love" working on the programme.
On Monday, Dermot said: "We know we have been in the news at the moment. But just from both of us, and the whole team here, the crew, the guys downstairs, we love making this show for all of you."
Alison added: "We really do and that's exactly what we're gonna do - we're continuing to do that."
Regular guest Gyles Brandreth, who was on the sofa, added: "We're very happy to be here, can I say that? This is a happy place to work, I enjoy coming in here. We are happy people in a happy place with interesting stories."
It comes as Phillip issued a statement on his social media insisting that while his decision was "not illegal", it was "unwise".
He said he met his ex-lover aged 15 before a "consensual moment" five years later.
"I did not, I did not (groom him)," he told The Sun, before going on to explain that he is aware of the accusations he is facing on social media, insisting that while their relationship was "unwise", he did not groom the man.
Phillip said the affair began in 2017 after a "consensual moment" in his dressing room.
During a BBC News interview, clarifying the nature of their relationship when the former colleague was underage, Amol Rajan asled: "Just be really clear, your relationship between when you met him when he was 15 and then when he was 18 was occasional direct messages… no pictures of each other sent to each other?"
Phillip responded by shaking his head.
Asked whether the messages were flirtatious, the former TV presenter said: "Just work-related, just career advice, career help."
Phillip also agreed there was "no sort of sexual forwardness" at that time by another shake of his head.
Phillip said that while romantic encounters happened at the ITV studios nobody on his team knew about the relationship.
In the wake of the drama, Phillip has departed This Morning. Irish presenter Craig Doyle is among the favourites to replace him.
Craig Doyle is a familiar face to many having filled in on This Morning previously and as the anchor of BT Sport's rugby coverage. He has also appeared on other shows on both ITV and the BBC. He previously hosted his own chat show on RTE.
Craig has now emerged as the new 5/2 favourite to take over from Phillip Schofield alongside well-known face Rylan Clark (also 5/2).
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