The external review into ITV’s handling of Phillip Schofield’s affair with a younger runner at This Morning was published on Thursday. The report stated that just one person interviewed said they were aware of the affair, but did not speak out due to fears about the impact on their career.
Now, one employee has claimed that rumours of Phillip Schofield’s affair were commonplace at ITV. They told The Sun: “The findings were not surprising to say the least. That’s not to say we all agree with them. Rumours of the affair were swirling around the entire floor from 2019.
“Even talent — high-profile names — were aware of the gossip even if they had no proof, or didn’t ask the right questions to the right people. It seems utterly implausible only one person knew. It’s a predictably sanitised version of events.”
In a summary of the probe, Jane Mulcahy KC wrote: “That former junior employee did not report their knowledge at the time. Nor did others report suspicions from much earlier in 2017.
“This leads me to emphasise in my recommendations the importance of junior employees having the confidence to raise concerns to management in line with ITV’s Speaking Up policy.
READ MORE: ITV releases results of Phillip Schofield’s This Morning inquiry
“I have no doubt that senior management are absolutely wedded to the importance of an open culture.
“But this culture is still not filtering down to junior employees, many of whom remain convinced that to speak out will have a detrimental impact on their careers.”
Jane went on to express that all staff should be “given a safe space to complain or raise concerns,” by their managers.
“No one should be worried that their job will be at risk because they have raised an issue,” she continued.
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The probe detailed that ITV needed to give clear guidelines to household names on how to conduct themselves, but found no evidence of a toxic culture at This Morning or daytime television at the channel.
Jane’s report to the broadcaster also stated that ITV need to “take the opportunity to set out clear guidelines for its talent to ensure good behaviours are observed even by those who are household names.”
Following her comments, ITV chairman Andy Cosslett said: “For the period under review there was no finding of a ‘toxic culture’ and had there been one (she) would have said so.”
Both Phillip, 61, and the runner in question refused to be quizzed as part of the probe.
Phillip left This Morning in May after admitting to the affair with the man in question, 30 years his junior.
Express.co.uk have contacted ITV for a comment.
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