Phillip Schofield: ITV investigated 'rumours' of relationship

ITV has said it investigated “rumours” of a relationship between Phillip Schofield and a younger employee in 2020 but both “repeatedly denied” it.

Schofield quit ITV on Friday after admitting he had had an affair with a younger male employee at the network and had lied to cover it up.

Some former ITV daytime figures said the affair raised questions about how much the network's managers knew.

But ITV said it questioned both parties in 2020, who denied any relationship.

An ITV spokesperson said: "Further to our statement last night, ITV can confirm that when rumours of a relationship between Phillip Schofield and an employee of ITV first began to circulate in early 2020 ITV investigated.

"Both parties were questioned and both categorically and repeatedly denied the rumours as did Phillip's then agency YMU.

"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.

"Phillip's statement yesterday reveals that he lied to people at ITV, from senior management to fellow presenters, to YMU, to the media and to others over this relationship."