Highlights
- Phillip Schofield admitted to having an affair with a younger colleague on This Morning.
- Former host John Leslie was wrongfully accused of misconduct.
- Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby faced criticism.
While talk show hosts have to exude charming on-screen personas, they are not exempt from indiscretions. From Good Morning America’s T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach’s relationship to the Late Night hosts’ biggest controversies, and Piers Morgan’s biggest celebrity feuds, being a talk show host is a highly-publicized job, too.
The UK’s This Morning show hosts tried to save face after shocking revelations of the scandals, which also unraveled the toxic work culture fostered by the entire production crew.
8 Phillip Schofield Admitted To Relationship With Younger Colleague On This Morning Show
This Morning Tenure – 2002 to 2023
Phillip Schofield revealed to The Daily Mail that he had an extramarital affair with a significantly younger man, who previously worked on This Morning show. Schofield described their “consensual on-off relationship” as “unwise but not illegal,” and admitted to having misled his colleagues, friends, and agent about it.
Current This Morning Show Presenters:
- Dermot O’Leary
- Ben Shephard
- Josie Gibson
- Rochelle Humes
- Craig Doyle
- Rylan Clark
- Emma Willis
According to Schofield, he first encountered the younger man as a 15-year-old drama student who later gained work experience on This Morning show. In an interview with BBC, Schofield clarified that their relationship did not become sexual until his former lover was around 20.
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BBC pressed Schofield about allegations of grooming, but he denied them. He acknowledged that the affair might be perceived as an abuse of power, but he clarified, “That wasn’t how it felt at the time.”
7 Former This Morning Host John Leslie Wrongfully Accused Of Sexual Misconduct
This Morning Tenure – 1999 to 2002
John Leslie hosted This Morning until his termination in 2002 due to false allegations. His career took a public hit after he was wrongly associated with Ulrika Jonsson’s sexual assault allegations.
John Leslie’s Hosting TV and Radio Show:
- Blue Peter
- Wheel of Fortune
- This Morning
- Castle FM
- Bauer Radio
In her 2002 autobiography, Jonsson disclosed that she was assaulted 15 years prior by an unidentified TV personality. According to The Guardian, Matthew Wright mistakenly named Leslie on television but later offered an apology for the error. Despite his acquittal and consistent denial of the charges, Leslie bore the brunt of aggressive media pursuit, which actively sought women to come forward with the allegations.
6 Phillip Schofield And Holly Willoughby Cut The Line During The Public Viewing Of Queen Elizabeth II’s Coffin
Episode Date – September 19, 2022
Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby reportedly used their privilege to jump in the VIP queue during Queen Elizabeth II’s lying in state. This was in contrast to other celebrities who patiently waited in the public queue for over 12 hours to pay their respects.
The duo explained that they were filming a segment for their show, but British tabloids contended that they simply bypassed the lengthy line to view the late queen. Willoughby addressed the matter directly during their appearance on air and reassured the audience, “Please know that we would never jump a queue.”
5 Dr. Ranj Singh Accused This Morning Show Of Safeguarding A Toxic Work Culture
This Morning Tenure – 2015 to 2021
Dr. Ranj Singh criticized the bullying and hostile work atmosphere behind the scenes of This Morning Show. The ITV medical expert who is involved in diversity, anti-bullying, and mental health projects, raised his concerns with ITV executives but felt marginalized.
Dr. Ranj Singh’s Television Career:
- Get Well Soon – 2012 to 2015
- Inside Out
- 5 News
- Good Morning Britain
- Dr Ranj: ON Call – 2020
- Scrubs to Sparkles
- Extreme Food Phobics
Dr. Singh described that the show no longer aligned with ITV values, and suggested that his revelation led him to be kicked out of the show. According to the Birmingham Mail, Dr. Singh was uncertain about his future after leaving This Morning and suffered an identity crisis from the ITV situation.
“But as history and experience have taught us, things like bullying and discrimination are very hard to prove, particularly in hindsight and when the ‘people in power’ control the narrative. As we’ve seen, no review or investigation is foolproof.”
4 Inside Phillip Schofield’s Controversial Interview With Former Prime Minister David Cameron
Episode Date – November 8, 2012
Phillip Schofield was widely criticized for his actions after interviewing the then-Prime Minister, David Cameron. During their discussion, Schofield presented Cameron with a list of five individuals named in connection with the North Wales child abuse scandal, including several former senior Conservative politicians.
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Schofield apologized for his error and cooperated with the government regulator Ofcom’s investigation after it was bombarded by viewer complaints. Schofield and ITV paid a settlement of £125,000 in compensation to resolve a libel suit filed by one of those falsely accused.
3 Viewers Criticized Phillip Schofield And Holly Willoughby’s Political Bias
Episode Date – December 5, 2019
During the 2019 UK general election, Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby faced backlash about their perceived lack of professionalism and clear bias during an interview with then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
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Some viewers pointed out that the hosts displayed a more critical approach when interviewing the then-leader of the opposition, Jeremy Corbyn. Corbyn was repeatedly pressed by Schofield and Willoughby to apologize for accusations of antisemitism in the Labor Party. Additionally, viewers stated that the issue of Islamophobia within the Conservative Party was not raised with Johnson during the interview.
2 Inside Multiple Reports Of Bullying At This Morning Show
Highest Show Rating – 2.7 Million Viewers
In his memoir, Phillip Schofield recounted a 2009 incident where co-presenter Fern Britton accused him of interfering with the show. After Schofield’s scandal, various individuals associated with the show have come forward, alleging the presence of a toxic work culture.
This Morning Show Awards:
- National Television Awards – Best Daytime/Live Magazine Show (1998 – 2022)
- TV Quick Awards – Best Daytime Viewing
- TV Times Awards – Favourite Daytime Programme
- TRIC Awards – Best TV Daytime Programme
- Freesat Awards – Best Live Programme
- Transgender Awards – Best Daytime Programme
- TV Choice Awards – Best Daytime Show
Ruth Langsford filed a complaint with ITV while working there, and Eamonn Holmes described Schofield as a narcissist and a bully at the center of the toxicity.
Kerry Katona labeled This Morning Show as “fake” and described her guest interview with Schofield and Willoughby as belittling. Kim Woodburn branded Schofield and Willoughby as “phoney” and “two-faced.” A former production staff member also criticized the working culture, citing it as a reason for her resignation.
1 Phillip Schofield And Holly Willoughby Hosted A Controversial Game On This Morning Show
Episode Date – September 5, 2022
This Morning Show introduced an energy bills prize in their spin-to-win game, that offers four monthly payments of up to £400 each. However, viewers were outraged by the game segment due to the cost-of-living crisis in the UK.
Sky News questioned if Russia used Schofield for propaganda after the game was featured on Russian television. Politician Mary Kelly Foy criticized This Morning for turning people’s financial struggles into a game show. She posted on Twitter:
“I’m disgusted that @thismorning have used people being unable to afford their energy bills as some kind of twisted game show. The producers need to rethink this immediately! Everyone deserves dignity, especially if they’re struggling.”
Source: NewsFinale
