Eamonn Holmes reacted with fury today on GB News at a comment made about Phillip Schofield’s return to television.
The former This Morning presenter appeared on TV for the first time since he left This Morning in May 2023, and his return prompted lively discussion on The People’s Channel.
He quit the ITV programme after he admitted to an “unwise but not illegal” affair with a younger male colleague.
Claire Muldoon told Eamonn Holmes and Isabel Webster she felt he should not have been allowed to make a return.
“I watched this and we were told by his daughter that we all had to watch it so we could see him the way she sees him”, she said.
“She said he is a great man, but she’s his daughter and also his manager. I watched it and it was just more of the same.
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“It was Phillip Schofield giving Phillip Schofield more airtime. He went for walks, there were tears, it just seemed staged. I just think over this three-hour show, it smacks of him being so entitled.”
Isabel Webster waded in on the discussion to suggest a comeback could be on the cards for Schofield, saying people have a “short memory”.
Broadcaster Paula London said Schofield should be “grateful” that he “got away with the punishment he did”.
Isabel put it to London that Schofield has not been convicted of any crimes, and only admitted to an “unwise, but not illegal affair”.
The comment sparked Eamonn into life as he furiously slapped down his co-host, saying: “It’s not even relevant. Why’s that even relevant?
“He met the boy when he was 15. Why do you keep on pushing that?”
Isabel kept her cool in the face of the grilling, saying: “It’s a fact, I’m sticking with the facts. He has not been convicted of any crime.”
Schofield admitted to a secret affair with a younger male colleague at ITV, but strongly denies accusations of grooming.
Despite the claims on the Channel 5 show that he was dropped from This Morning, when leaving the programme more than a year ago, Schofield claimed he had resigned.
At the time Schofield denied he had been “forced out”, and said he was “so very, very sorry” for lying to ITV, his colleagues, wife and friends.
An external review, carried out by Jane Mulcahy KC on behalf of ITV found the channel made “considerable efforts” to find out the truth about an alleged affair between Schofield and a runner in 2019, but was not able to find evidence about the rumours.
Schofield “reluctantly declined” to take part in the probe because of “the risk to his health”, the report in December 2023 said.
