ITV staff ‘are too scared to speak out in case it hurts their careers’, review into Phillip Schofield scandal finds – as report reveals star refused to take part and just one out of the 48 people interviewed said they knew about the affair before he quit

Junior staff on ITV’s This Morning still fear speaking out will damage their careers in the industry, an external review into the Philip Schofield case has found.

But only one person out of 48 people surveyed said they knew about the presenter’s relationship with a former colleague, a younger man, before he spoke about it in May.

ITV made “considerable efforts” to find out the truth in 2019 but “failed to disclose relevant evidence” before Schofield’s own admission, the report said.

Jane Mulcahy said Schofield “reluctantly refused” to take part in a review into the circumstances of his departure due to “risks to his health”. She added that she was informed that the presenter’s mental health had since deteriorated.

ITV bosses said both Schofield and his former lover “repeatedly denied” the dating allegations until the star quit ITV and formally apologised.

Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby on the sofa on ITV This Morning, February 2.

Schofield and Willoughby are shown on either side of the man with whom he was having an affair.

And ITV chairman Andy Costlett said today that “KC informed the board that during the period under review ‘there was no ‘toxic’ culture identified and if there had been one, (she) would have said so.”

Schofield quit ITV in May and was sacked by talent agency YMU after admitting to an “unreasonable but not illegal” relationship with a younger male colleague.

In her report, Ms Mulcahy said today: “I have no doubt that senior management is absolutely convinced of the importance of an open culture.

“But this culture still does not extend to junior staff, many of whom remain convinced that speaking out will have a detrimental impact on their careers.”

Schofield admitted to a relationship with a younger male colleague (pictured together)

She added that 55 interviews were conducted for the report, involving 48 people – seven twice.

KC said: “Only one person I spoke to knew about the affair” between Schofield and a colleague “before May 2023 (they became aware in 2021), and that former junior employee did not report his knowledge then.” Others also did not report suspicions that arose much earlier in 2017.”

Ms Mulcahy’s report said: “ITV management have made significant efforts to establish the truth about the alleged relationship between PS (Schofield) and PX (the runner) following the publication of an article in The Sun newspaper in early December 2019.

“However, despite denials by those involved, ITV failed to disclose relevant evidence prior to PS’ admission at the end of May 2023.”

Schofield pictured in West London on October 12 after Willoughby also quit This Morning.

Ms Mulcahy interviewed 48 people for the review, but Schofield “reluctantly declined” to participate due to “risks to his health”, the report said.

An unnamed runner also withdrew.

Following Schofield’s departure, the daytime program continued to come under scrutiny with accusations of a “toxic” environment.

Former This Morning presenter Eamonn Holmes and the show’s former regular doctor Dr Ranj Singh have separately made allegations about the behind-the-scenes culture at the program following Schofield’s departure.

Schofield’s co-host Holly Willoughby left the show in October.