ITV 'investigated rumours' of Phillip Schofield relationship in 2020

ITV bosses have denied they had any evidence of a relationship between Phillip Schofield and a “much younger” member of staff on award-winning show This Morning, a day after Schofield admitted he had lied about the affair and came clean.

ITV said it had investigated rumours in early 2020 when they first arose. “Both parties were questioned and both categorically and repeatedly denied the rumours as did Phillip’s then agency YMU,” ITV said.

“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.”

It comes as questions have been asked over what ITV bosses, including the show’s editor, Martin Frizell, ITV’s chief executive, Carolyn McCall, and the broadcaster’s director of TV, Kevin Lygo, knew by former ITV daytime presenters, including Eamonn Holmes and Dan Wootton.

On Friday, Schofield told the Daily Mail he had a “consensual on-off relationship” that was “unwise, but not illegal”.

He admitted that it had happened when he was married to his wife of 30 years, Stephanie Lowe.

He said: “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.

“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.”

ITV said it was “deeply disappointed” by the revelation.

“We feel badly let down,” it added.