Phillip Schofield interview: What did the TV presenter say?

PHILLIP Schofield has spoken for the first time, following his affair scandal.

In an exclusive interview with The Sun, he answered all the questions fans of This Morning and beyond have wanted to know.

When did Phillip Schofield speak out?

On June 1, 2023 Phillip Schofield exclusively spoke to The Sun to set the record straight about the affair scandal that has rocked his career.

In the explosive interview he said: "I’m broken and ashamed… but I’m NOT a groomer."

Phil addressed everything from his affair with a younger colleague, to his broken friendship with Holly Willoughby.

The former This Morning star also spoke about his wife's reaction to his infidelity, and how his daughters' have saved his life throughout this tough time

What did Phillip Schofield say about leaving This Morning?

Phil officially left This Morning on May 20, 2023.

Speaking to The Sun he said: “At the time I did not think about it [the affair] possibly ruining my career.

"I really probably only thought about it when I saw the rumour mill, and saw it growing."

Phillip also revealed, he has not watched a single episode of This Morning since his resignation so missed a slightly-stilted tribute from stand-ins Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary.

He told us: “I can’t watch it. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to again.”

What did Phillip Schofield say about his affair?

Phil opened up about the affair scandal that rocked his career.

In his Sun interview he revealed he worked with the This Morning runner for a short ­period and had become friends.

However, he also admitted to when he first met his young lover.

Phil said: "We did first meet when he was 15, I visited the drama school (he attended).”

He also pointed out the chronology of events, and made it clear the pair were not in touch romantically or inappropriately after they first communicated when the boy was just 15.

He added that it was "a completely innocent backwards and forwards over a period of time about a job, about careers."

Phil said that his colleague was 20 years old when he first had any kind of sexual contact with him - which happened a total of five or six times.

Phillip confirmed that the first romantic encounter between him and the man took place in his ITV dressing room and was "consensual".

Although the former TV star said he was ashamed, he insisted he did not groom the runner.

Talking to The Sun and visibly shaking, Phillip said: “I did not, I did not (groom him).

“There are accusations of all sorts of things. It never came across that way (an abuse of power) because we’d become mates. I don’t know about that.

“But of course I understand that there will be a massive judgment, but bearing in mind, I have never exercised that anywhere else.

“I assume somebody, somewhere, assumed something was going on, correctly, and didn’t say anything."

Speaking about his wife's reaction to his infidelity, he revealed she was "very, very angry".

Phil said she had believed him when she asked previously about the rumours and he told her: “It’s untrue, it’s b*****ks.”

He added: “She is very, very angry but we spoke today. And my daughters were unbelievable.

"They are without question, our greatest asset. I always say our, but from a father’s point of view, my greatest asset are my girls.”

What did Phillip Schofield say about Holly Willoughby?

Phillip apologised to his This Morning co-star Holly Willoughby for lying to her about his secret relationship — and for tainting her public image.

The pair worked together for 14 years, since 2009, and were inseparable, now they no longer speak.

Phil told The Sun they have broken all ­contact — and revealed it was his paedophile brother’s imprisonment that made her distance herself from the friendship.

He said “I’ve lost my best friend. I let her down (Holly). I let that entire show down. I let the viewers down.

“Holly did not know (about the romance). And she was one of the first texts that I sent, to say, ‘I am so, so sorry that I lied to you’.

“She didn’t reply and I understand why she didn’t reply, as well. So yeah. If anyone is in any way linking Holly to this; that is ­absolutely, wholly untrue.

“I had no feud with Holly. She is my TV sister. But quite rightly, when I am in the middle of a s**t show with bad press over something where I have done nothing wrong — in fact, I did everything right — it’s a witch hunt. And that strips that (friendship) away.

“Quite rightly, she is going to take a step back and think, ‘I have to step back from this’, and I understand that completely.

“As we see now, this is a vicious game and the last thing you want is for something to stick on you.

“It was becoming bigger than the people we had on the show. I understand that.”