ITV bosses will reportedly be challenged by MPs over Phillip Schofield’s departure from the broadcaster and affair confession.
The former This Morning host, 61, announced on Friday (May 26) that he would be stepping down from the channel with ‘immediate effect’ after admitting to an affair with a runner on the show.
This comes after Phillip left the daytime programme having presented it with Holly, 42, for 13 years amid a rumoured ‘feud’.
The long-serving presenter has left the channel altogether and will not be hosting the British Soap Awards next week – as he has done since 2006.
According to reports, MPs on the House of Commons digital, culture, media and sport select committee will ask ITV executives about their handling of Schofield’s scandal at a televised hearing in Parliament at 10am next Tuesday.
Daily Express also claims that the committee has also informed them that they will be expected to answer issues of public concern over Schofield’s revelations.
Over the weekend, Schofield admitted to having an affair with a young male colleague while he was married to Stephanie Lowe before he came out as gay, which he insisted was ‘unwise’ but ‘not illegal.’
The Dancing on Ice presenter resigned from ITV with ‘immediate effect’ and has been dropped by his talent agency of 35 years.
The broadcaster said it previously investigated rumours of an affair between Schofield and his ex-colleague and ‘did not find any evidence of a relationship beyond hearsay and rumour.’
Willoughby also said she had been lied to by Schofield after asking him ‘directly’ about the rumoured relationship, which he denied at the time, and was ‘hurt’ by the deceit.
Calls have also been made for the long-running show to be axed, including from one of the executives who launched the show more than three decades ago.
Monday’s hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary opened the show by vaguely addressing the controversy, saying: ”We all know we happen to be in the news at the moment, and of course we appreciate that.
‘But just from both of us, the whole team here, the crew, the guys downstairs, we love making this show for all of you.’
Co-host Hammond added: ‘We really do and that’s exactly what we are going to do, we are going to continue to do that.’
Metro.co.uk has reached out to ITV for comment. Phillip Schofield declined to comment.
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