Phillip Schofield’s lover denied affair 12 times, ITV boss Carolyn McCall tells MPs

Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Appearing alongside her colleagues – Kevin Lygo, managing director of media and entertainment at ITV, and Kyla Mullins, general counsel and company secretary – McCall discussed when ITV bosses first became aware of rumours of an inappropriate relationship between Schofield and his colleague, referred to as “Person X”. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free She clarified that ITV’s questioning of the relationship was “not an investigation” but a review, which began when intense rumours about the former presenter began in February 2020. open image in gallery Dame Carolyn McCall addresses the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee However, she said she was first personally made aware of rumours in 2019, after an article was published in The Sun on 6 December claiming Schofield had sparked a “civil war” on the daytime show. And Person X could not grasp the media intrusion that was so prevalent in his life.” The revelation of Schofield’s affair sparked allegations from former ITV employees, including ex-This Morning presenter Eamonn Holmes and Dr Ranj Singh, of a “toxic” workplace environment, along with questions over how much ITV bosses were aware of regarding Schofield’s relationship with his colleague. Phillip Schofield was not in a good place when he came out ITV boss Carolyn McCall “It is entirely to do with how we were trying to look after people, but we were also trying to repeatedly ask questions, and we were repeatedly being told there was nothing happening.” ITV bosses have been in touch with Schofield as recently as last week, McCall said, telling the committee that he was not made to sign any form of NDA that would prevent him from speaking with the press.