Phillip Schofield was rarely off TV screens and had a slew of showbiz pals – but now things are looking a lot different…
The TV presenter, shot to fame in the eighties as a children’s TV presenter – and he quickly became one of the UK’s most-loved TV stars. From a This Morning stint for over two decades to hosting other primetime shows, Philip remained booked and busy.
But last year, his world tipped upside down when he left ITV completely following an affair admission – something he claimed was “unwise but not illegal”. He has since taken a step back from the spotlight.
Phillip’s famous friendship with best mate Holly Willoughby also took a run for the worse. During an interview amid the scandal, he confessed he had “lost his best friend” in Holly.
But which celebs have stuck with Phillip Schofield to fight his corner? Keep reading to find out…
Piers Morgan on Phillip Schofield
In June 2023, former Good Morning Britain star Piers opened up about Phil. Speaking to The Sun, Piers said: “I’ve been in touch with Phillip and I think he’s struggling. It’s tough to leave any big job, let alone when it’s a big scandal. But he’ll be back. I think he can bounce back.
“I think the more it’s gone on, the more people are thinking, what exactly did he do that was so heinous. Unless a crime was committed or unless the other party involved decides to contradict something that Phillip is saying, you take it for what it is I’m not entirely sure why the world went completely nuts.”
He said he “felt for” Phil on a “human level” after he made his affair confession. Piers said Phil “couldn’t have been more honest about the mistakes he made”.
Meanwhile, in December, Piers questioned why Phillip “had to be destroyed” amid his affair scandal. The presenter took to X, to weigh in after ITV published the results of a review into the affair. He wrote: “This may be an unpopular opinion but what did Philip Schofield do that justified his expulsion from TV & public life?
This may be an unpopular opinion but what did Philip Schofield do that justified his expulsion from TV & public life? He had a consensual affair with a co-worker who’s made no complaint about it, and his wife’s been supportive too. Struggling to see why he had to be destroyed?
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) December 8, 2023
“He had a consensual affair with a co-worker who’s made no complaint about it, and his wife’s been supportive too. Struggling to see why he had to be destroyed?”
Lorraine Kelly
Lorraine and Phillip were ITV colleagues for years, often crossing paths. Earlier this month, she opened up about her working relationship with Phil, admitting he was “generous” and also revealed how he’s doing. Speaking to the Sunday Times, Lorraine said: “He was generous. Not all men are, particularly male presenters, but he was.
“I was heartbroken when all that happened. It’s just a shame for the amazing career that he’s had, for it to end like that.” She also stayed in touch with Phil, adding: “He’s doing all right and he will be all right, but it’s hard.”
The ITV star also said she thinks “everybody lost their minds a wee bit” over the scandal. She insisted it was a “delight” to work alongside Phil when she covered slots on This Morning.
Vanessa Feltz
In August 2023, Vanessa was spotted enjoying dinner with her former This Morning co-star Phillip – months after his affair scandal broke.
The pair were snapped at the Little Bird restaurant in Chiswick. And according to MailOnline, they had quite the animated catch-up and even shared a hug as they bid their goodbyes.
She then found herself quizzed about the meet-up with Phillip at the National Television Awards in September. People seemed desperate for an update on Phillip as a reporter from the Daily Star even apparently greeted Vanessa by asking how Phil is doing.
To this, she reportedly responded – or rather, refused to respond – in her usual blunt style, saying: “You will have to ask him.”
In November, Vanessa also admitted hurt over the scandal. She told the Mirror: “I’ve always been good friends with Holly and Phil, I’ve been on that show for years and years. I just feel very sorry for anybody who’s been hurt or implicated in what’s happened.”
Richard Madeley felt ‘very sorry’ for Phillip Schofield
After many years of working on the same network as Phillip, in October Richard shared his thoughts on how he has been treated.
With a lot of criticism surrounding the 61-year-old presenter, Richard told The Sun that he felt “very sorry for Phillip”. He said: “It seemed a pretty savage outcome after 21 years [in the job]. It seemed quite brutal to be honest.”
Explaining that he “took a paternal interest in it”, Richard admitted that he is still in contact with Phillip. “I kept in touch, told him to take it easy and that it’ll be all right. He agreed. All things pass in the end. We’ve all been through terrible experiences.”
However, he noted that “the worst ones are the ones that come out of a clear blue sky and you don’t see coming”.
Read more: Why Phillip Schofield’s wife ‘hasn’t divorced him’ following his affair scandal
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