The news that one of its co-presenters had an affair with a younger coworker has caused a crisis for one of the most well-liked daytime shows on British television.
This Morning, a program renowned for its daily serving of news, light entertainment, and recipes, has been tarnished by the scandal, which has for days dominated news headlines.
Phillip Schofield, a nearly constant presence on British daytime television, abruptly resigned after admitting he had misled his wife, agent, and lawyer as well as his employer, broadcaster ITV, about the nature of the relationship.
Schofield has now told the BBC that he believes his career is over and has apologized for a "grave error" of judgment. The revelation was preceded by a frenzy of media rumors and speculation.
What exactly is this scandal about, and why has it captured the UK's attention?
For the past 20 years, the 61-year-old has hosted This Morning. The majority of this mid-morning program, which features celebrity interviews, entertainment news, current affairs, cooking tips, and consumer advice.
As "daytime TV's golden couple," he and his co-host Holly Willoughby were well-known. Videos of them repeatedly laughing out loud on air together went viral, demonstrating how much their on-screen chemistry and affection were adored by viewers.
In a raw, emotional interview with Willoughby, who was on the verge of tears, Schofield came out as gay on the program in 2020.
But in recent weeks, prior to the revelation of his affair, reports that their friendship was deteriorating surfaced.
Prior to the most recent tabloid headlines, there was a great deal of negative press surrounding "Queue-gate," in which the two were accused by many of avoiding the miles-long line to view the late Queen Elizabeth II's coffin as it was lying in state.
In contrast to celebrities like footballer David Beckham, who joined the public in the line-up outside, journalists were given official press access along with other journalists.
Then, in April, Timothy Schofield, one of Schofield's brothers, was adjudged responsible for abusing a boy. Some viewers said they preferred the dynamic between Willoughby and her temporary co-host while Philip Schofield was away from the show while his brother was in court.
Reacting to the rumored conflict, Schofield issued a statement in which he acknowledged that "things haven't been easy for either of us" but praised Willoughby as his "rock.".
She made no public comment, and they co-hosted another show without making any reference to rumors about their friendship.
Schofield left his position as host of This Morning as rumors of the two's falling out and his personal relationships spread on social media.
Finally, he left ITV completely last Friday after apologizing for lying about an affair he had with a younger coworker that was "unwise but not illegal" (he presented other shows, such as Dancing on Ice with Willoughby).
Schofield confirmed that he first met the man, who was 15 at the time, when he was asked to participate in a drama school event many years ago.
Following the incident, he started corresponding with the young man on Twitter. Schofield claimed that he was asked for guidance on breaking into the TV business.
According to Schofield, the man first had any sort of sexual contact with him when he was 20 years old, as reported by the BBC.
"I haven't been completely honest about the connection in an effort to protect my ex-colleague. However, my recent, unrelated departure from This Morning sparked rumors and questions that have been affecting him, so it's important for me to be honest now for his sake.
"I am painfully aware that I have lied to my employers at ITV, to my friends and coworkers, to my agents, to the media and thereby the public, and most importantly to my family. As I am for having betrayed my wife, I sincerely apologize. " he composed.
ITV expressed "deep disappointment" at Schofield's admissions of deceit and confirmed it had severed all ties with the host, while Holly Willoughby called the revelation "very hurtful.".
A review of the broadcaster's handling of the case is currently being conducted by an outside party due to internal concerns about whether a 2020 investigation into the scandal went far enough.
In a Friday interview with the BBC, Schofield sounded worn out and upset as he expressed his regret and how his career was over. ".
"All I can see in front of me is darkness, sadness, regret, remorse, and guilt. In an open conversation with the BBC's Amol Rajan, he admitted that he had done something very wrong and had repeatedly lied about it.
He said, referring to his former coworker, "He is an innocent party here. Given my age, I ought to have known better. The relationship was mutually agreed upon, but I was to blame. ".
He added: "I fully appreciate there is a massive age gap, but that happens in life. Homophobia has intensified the criticism I've received. I believe that there is a great deal of homophobia that it is male, but if it were male-female, it wouldn't be such a scandal. ".
Despite the fact that it "didn't feel like that at the time," he said he understood those who believed there had been a misuse of authority.
The BBC Action Line has information on organizations that can help if you are impacted by any of the problems discussed in this article.
