Fri. Nov 8th, 2024
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THIS Morning boss Martin Frizell has claimed former stars of the show are “settling scores” as he shot down claims of a “toxic” culture on the programme.

The ITV executive said he was not worried about the outcome of an external review into the show and was looking forward to giving evidence to a top lawyer in the wake of the Phillip Schofield affair scandal.

This Morning editor Martin Frizell told reporters today ‘scores are being settled’ by former presenters of the show5

This Morning editor Martin Frizell told reporters today ‘scores are being settled’ by former presenters of the showCredit: Sky News
Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby on either side of the young male runner with whom he had an affair5

Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby on either side of the young male runner with whom he had an affairCredit: Enterprise

It comes after former This Morning stars including Eamonn Holmes and Dr Ranj Singh levelled extraordinary allegations at the daytime staple, branding it a “toxic” place to work.

In a moving open letter, Dr Ranj, who appeared alongside Holly Willoughby and Phil on the show for ten years, revealed he had raised concerns over Frizell’s behaviour behind the scenes – but was “used less and less” as a result.

The former Strictly star, 43, added: “Over time I grew increasingly worried about how things were behind-the-scenes and how people, including myself, were being treated.”

Speaking to Sky News, Frizell, 64, said today: “I think you’ve got to read between the lines. There’s some scores being settled.

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“There’s lots of questions to answer but there’s a KC appointed for an external review and anything we may say now could be prejudicial, so I’d rather not.

“There will be lots of time once it’s all over to go through who did what, when, why, but I’d rather not just now.”

ITV last week instructed lawyer Jane Mulcahy KC to carry out an external review, in a letter to broadcasting regulator Ofcom and the culture secretary Lucy Frazer on Wednesday.

Remaining host Holly – who will return to the sofa on Monday – will be grilled by the top barrister over the scandal.

The show’s past and present presenting teams may also be quizzed about what they knew about Schofield’s affair with a This Morning runner.

Fellow stars Alison Hammond, Dermot O’Leary, Holmes and his wife Ruth Langsford as well as Dr Ranj may all be asked to give statements to the review.

Frizell revealed the review had made staff fearful for their jobs at the programme, but added: “We’re looking forward to speaking to the KC, she’s very learned.

“She’ll get to the bottom of the questions to be answered, I’m sure she will find those answers.

“All I want to say is I working with a fantastic team of mainly women, many mums, a lot of them concerned for their jobs although we’ve told them they don’t need to be.

“This is the 23rd day now of being on the front page and it’s tiring.

“They worked all through Covid brilliantly, they worked all through this putting a programme out and I just think they need a bit of respite now.”

Last week former host Eamonn blasted executives over claims ITV did not know about Schofield’s extra-marital relationship.

Calling the furore a “total cover-up”, he said: ‘Those in authority had to know what was going on and they thought they would dodge a bullet with this.”

In an exclusive interview with The Sun, Schofield said the comments from his former colleagues, including Dr Ranj, made him feel “stabbed”.

Schofield said: “There is categorically no toxicity [at This Morning] and the only people who create that are the people who have their own toxicity.

”And I’m assuming if you are that sort of a person then it follows you around perhaps.

”But Ranj, I saw him a few months ago and he was lovely, really lovely.

“I don’t know what is the reason to stab something that’s been really good to you.”

Schofield admitted an affair but insisted to the Sun he did not "groom" the young man

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Schofield admitted an affair but insisted to the Sun he did not “groom” the young manCredit: ITV
Ex-presenter Eamonn Holmes has criticised both Schofield and ITV executives

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Ex-presenter Eamonn Holmes has criticised both Schofield and ITV executivesCredit: GB NEWS/UNPIXS
Holmes and his wife Ruth Langsford were This Morning colleagues of Holly and Phil

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Holmes and his wife Ruth Langsford were This Morning colleagues of Holly and PhilCredit: ITV

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