Phillip Schofield – latest: Holly Willoughby’s This Morning statement torn apart by David Baddiel

ITV presenter’s statement addressing the scandal surrounding her former co-host was ridiculed by some viewers for being ‘dramatic’

Holly Willoughby addresses Phillip Schofield controversy for the first time on This Morning

Comedian David Baddiel has mocked Holly Willoughby’s statement about the Phillip Schofield saga on Twitter.

“When Holly Willoughby said ‘Firstly, are you OK?’ I genuinely thought she was talking to someone behind camera, before realising that of course she was talking to us,” he wrote on Twitter.

MP John Nicholson also mocked Willoughby’s opening statement from Monday’s episode of This Morning during a Culture, Media and Sport Committee taking place in Parliament on Tuesday (6 June).

The latest episode of the ITV daytime show opened with no mention of Schofield, in stark contrast to yesterday’s broadcast, which saw Willoughby give an emotional statement addressing the scandal surrounding her former co-host.

Schofield, 61, gave an interview to the BBC last week, where he described the impact of the media onslaught since he admitted to having a relationship with a much younger This Morning employee while he was still married.

Stars including Piers Morgan, Jeremy Clarkson and Rupert Everett have all questioned the intensity of the backlash against Schofield. Writing in his column over the weekend, former Top Gear star Clarkson said he was “baffled” by the uproar.

Phillip Schofield latest news

• This Morning viewers react to Holly Willoughby’s ‘ridiculous’ Phillip Schofield speech
• ‘Baffled’ Jeremy Clarkson hits out at Phillip Schofield ‘witch hunt’

[6 June 2023 13:00 · Ellie Harrison]

Piers Morgan defends ‘good friend’ Holly Willoughby

Former ITV star defended Willoughby from criticism following her divisive Phillip Schofield speech.

[6 June 2023 12:30 · Ellie Harrison]

That’s a wrap on Tuesday’s episode of This Morning

Holly Willoughby and Josie Gibson opened today’s episode with big smiles, launching straight into the news of the day, including Prince Harry arriving in court for the Mirror publisher phone-hacking trial. The show then went on to feature interviews with Sarah Beeny, who talked about her cancer journey and her new documentary, and The Repair Shop’s Suzie Fletcher, who discussed her work with leather.

There was no mention of Phillip Schofield throughout the episode’s two-and-a-half-hour run – this was in stark contrast to Monday’s episode, which opened with emotional words from Willoughby on the scandal surrounding her former co-host.

[6 June 2023 11:45 · Ellie Harrison]

Here is footage of the MP asking the ITV representative ‘are you OK?'

[6 June 2023 11:44 · Ellie Harrison]

Video: ITV boss questioned over ‘toxic aubergine' comment made by This Morning editor

[6 June 2023 11:19 · Ellie Harrison]

David Baddiel mocks Willoughby’s emotional statement on Schofield

The comedian wasn’t impressed when the This Morning host opened yesterday’s episode by asking viewers, “Are you OK?”

[6 June 2023 10:50 · Ellie Harrison]

This Morning viewing figures shot up briefly for Willoughby’s statement yesterday

According to TV writer Scott Bryan, This Morning had a surge of an additional 300,000 viewers yesterday at 10am, who were tuning in to see Holly Willoughby’s statement on the Schofield fall-out.

“Then 200,000 of those viewers immediately went away afterwards,” he tweeted.

[6 June 2023 10:37 · Ellie Harrison]

Sarah Beeny gives This Morning interview about breast cancer treatment

TV present Beeny is on the sofa now with Willoughby and Gibson. Read more about her cancer journey and her new documentary here.

[6 June 2023 10:34 · Ellie Harrison]

Piers Morgan defends Schofield again

The former ITV star has urged people to lay off Schofield while suggesting he “probably shouldn’t have” compared himself to Caroline Flack in a recent BBC interview.

[6 June 2023 10:04 · Ellie Harrison]

Tuesday’s This Morning opens with no mention of Phillip Schofield

Holly Willoughby and Josie Gibson opened today’s episode with big smiles, launching straight into the news of the day, including Prince Harry arriving in court for the Mirror publisher phone-hacking trial. This was in stark contrast to Monday’s episode, which opened with emotional words from Willoughby on the Schofield fall-out.

[6 June 2023 09:40 · Roisin O'Connor]

Eamonn Holmes launches yet another attack on ‘big mouth’ Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield

Eamonn Holmes has launched yet another attack on disgraced former This Morning presenter Phillip Schofield and his ex-co-host, Holly Willoughby.

My colleague Louis Chilton reports: