Phillip Schofield smiling wearing a brown jacket
TV

Phillip Schofield faces storm amid This Morning feud rumours

Not much concrete evidence here…

A storm has engulfed This Morning host Phillip Schofield these past couple of weeks, especially since he stepped down from the show. But what has he actually done wrong?

Rumours of a feud with co-host Holly Willoughby have flooded social media, with This Morning viewers hanging off the pair’s every word and dissecting it to within an inch of its life. The show’s so-called experts and former stars have been coming out of the woodwork too. They’ve branded Phil “arrogant”, “judgemental”, “fake” and a “monster”.

But before we go making any kind of judgement, I think it’s time we all had a long hard look at ourselves – and the facts. Just because he’s on the TV doesn’t make Phil fair game when it comes to casting aspersions on his character and supposed behaviour away from our screens.

I’m not saying he hasn’t made any kind of mis-step over the course of his career. Or that I’m his biggest fan. All I am saying is what do we actually know to be true here? Other than the fact that we should keep in mind our pledge to #BeKind following the death of Caroline Flack…

Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby posing together smiling
This Morning hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby have found themselves at the centre of a storm of late (Credit: Splash News)

What has This Morning host Phillip Schofield actually done wrong?

Since this all blew up, some have brought up the moment he came out as gay, but the details of his marriage are between him and his wife Stephanie. Steph is still on really good terms with him – so why does it bother onlookers so much?

Have you actually seen concrete proof of this?

And, no he didn’t wait in line to view the Queen lying-in-state. That’s because he’s a journalist(ish) and, regardless of your feelings on the matter, he followed the rules and did his job.

Some people have claimed that he’s not a very nice man – but have you actually seen concrete proof of this? Is there a video of Phil being mean doing the rounds that I don’t know about? Yes, people who have appeared on the show have stuck their oar in. But without actual concrete proof, it’s their word against his. Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty, eh?

And okay, admittedly Phil did put out a statement about his relationship with Holly, with reports claiming it was without her consent. But she hasn’t commented specifically on that, so we don’t know the truth. Although we do admit that her statement about his exit was a little, erm, brief!

Fianlly, his brother Timothy committed heinous crimes. But Phil can’t be blamed for that. He gave a statement to the police and publicly condemned his actions before disowning his brother. Tim’s in prison, but Phil has seemingly been sentenced to some form of purgatory, too.

It just isn’t fair and it doesn’t seem entirely right to me.

Phillip Schofield frowns on This Morning
Phillip Schofield has lost his job – will his entire career follow? (Credit: YouTube)

He’s been on our screens since the 1980s

Phil has been a regular since his Broom Cupboard days, which, incidentally, started in 1985.

Are you telling me that in the past 40 years you haven’t made some mistakes, spoken to someone in a way that you really shouldn’t have or fallen out with a friend? I know I have.

He’s already lost the most coveted job in TV. Let’s wait for proof of why he’s deserving of this sudden witch hunt before we all hitch along with our brooms and rob him of his entire career too.

Read more: Alison Hamond under fire over interview with the PM today

YouTube video player

So what do you think? Head to our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and share your thoughts.


Nancy Brown
Associate Editor