This Morning: Key extracts from ITV chief executive’s letter to culture secretary on Phillip Schofield departure
ITV has asked a barrister to carry out an external review of Phillip Schofield’s departure from This Morning.
The development was announced by the broadcaster’s chief executive, Dame Carolyn McCall, in a letter to Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer, chair of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee, Dame Caroline Dinenage, and the Ofcom chief executive, Dame Melanie Dawes.
Here are key extracts:
“You will have seen the significant media coverage concerning Phillip Schofield.
“As you would expect we take the matter extremely seriously and have reviewed our own records over the weekend.
“These show that when rumours of a relationship between Phillip Schofield and an employee of ITV first began to circulate in late 2019/early 2020 ITV investigated.
“Both parties were questioned then and both categorically and repeatedly denied the rumours, as did Phillip’s then agency, YMU.
“In addition, ITV spoke to a number of people who worked on the This Morning and wider Daytime team and were not provided with, and did not find any evidence of, a relationship beyond hearsay and rumour.
“Given the ongoing rumours, we continued to ask questions of both parties, who both continued to deny the rumours, including as recently as this month.”
Read more:
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Eamonn Holmes claims there was ‘total cover-up’ over Schofield’s affair
A timeline of the This Morning controversy
The letter goes on to say ITV offered “support” to the man who Phillip Schofield said he had an affair with.
“As you would imagine, given the social media scrutiny of him, we have offered him our support throughout this period and indeed are still doing so.
“The employee has made it clear that he does not wish to be named or identified in connection with this matter.
“We would be grateful if you would be mindful of this.
“The relationships we have with those we work with are based on trust.
“Phillip made assurances to us and his agency which he now acknowledges were untrue and we feel badly let down.
“We consider our approach was reasonable and proportionate at the time and in the circumstances.
“We believe that we did not have any grounds to mount any other sort of investigation.”
Dr Ranj Singh with Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield on This Morning in 2020 Pic: ITV/Shutterstock
The letter also refers to wider claims about This Morning, including allegations of a “toxic culture” by Dr Ranj Singh, a former presenter on the show, saying: “We were sorry to read his statement.
“We are fully committed to providing every opportunity for anyone who works with us to raise any concern or comments they may have.
“Following a complaint made by Dr Ranj, we appointed an external and independent adviser to carry out a review.
“This external review found no evidence of bullying or discrimination.
“I want to reassure you that as a producer and broadcaster, ITV takes its responsibilities around duty of care and speaking up seriously and has robust and well-established processes in place which allow anyone who works with us to raise concerns they may have anonymously.
“The confidential reporting number and other ways of raising concerns are promoted via a number of channels, which includes ITV’s internal staff website, across ITV buildings and how to speak up is part of ITV’s code of ethics and conduct annual mandatory training for all staff.
“We have now instructed Jane Mulcahy KC (Blackstone Chambers) to carry out an external review to establish the facts.
“She will review our records and talk to people involved.
“This work will also consider our relevant processes and policies and whether we need to change or strengthen any.
“Given Phillip’s admission of the extent of his deception the work will extend to cover any related issues that may emerge.
“This work will be carried out as quickly as possible and we will be happy to share the outcome.”
UK
‘We’ll play some more soon’: Emails believed to be from Prince Andrew to Epstein after he claimed to cut contact revealed
The Duke of York told Jeffrey Epstein they would “play some more soon!” two months after he claimed he cut contact with the convicted paedophile.
The emails were disclosed in a filing by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), who are defending an appeal by former Barclays boss, Jes Staley.
Staley is challenging a decision to ban him from the industry for misleading regulators on his ties to Epstein, one of the most severe measures the FCA can impose.
The court documents show an exchange of messages between Epstein and “a member of the British Royal Family” – believed to be Prince Andrew. It suggests the duke and Epstein – who killed himself in jail in 2019 – were in contact for longer than he has previously admitted.
Ex-Barclays boss Jes Staley. Pic: PA
In 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from a minor and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. After his release, Epstein and the duke were photographed walking together in New York’s Central Park, in December 2010.
The prince has claimed this was the last contact he had with Epstein.
In a 2019 interview with Newsnight, Andrew said he visited Epstein in person to tell him they could no longer be friends, believing it was the “honourable” thing to do.
Yet emails between the pair, which were handed to a court in London, show they kept exchanging messages until at least 27 February 2011.
On this date, Andrew emailed Epstein: “Keep in close touch and we’ll play some more soon!!!!”
The disgraced duke has come under fire for his relationship with the paedophile financier. In 2022, he settled a multi-million pound claim with Virginia Giuffre, who said she was trafficked by Epstein and forced to have sex with the royal.
Andrew stepped down from royal duties and public life and had claimed he never met Ms Giuffre. He agreed to settle the claim without admitting liability.
He has previously strenuously denied all allegations against him.
Newsnight interview ‘ill-advised’ – aide
Other court documents released on Friday revealed one of the prince’s senior aides admitted in a letter to an alleged Chinese spy that the duke’s Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis was “hugely ill-advised and unsuccessful”.
Prince Andrew and alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo
Dominic Hampshire wrote to Yang Tengbo on Buckingham Palace notepaper in March 2020.
In the letter, he said they “have dealt with the aftermath of a hugely ill-advised and unsuccessful television interview”.
Mr Hampshire praised Mr Yang, writing that “in what originally seemed like a lost cause, you have somehow managed to not only salvage but maintain and then incredibly, enhance the reputation of my principal [Prince Andrew] in China.
“Under your guidance, we found a way to get the relevant people unnoticed in and out of the house in Windsor; we orchestrated a very powerful verbal message of support to China at a Chinese New Year’s dinner and between the three of us, we have written, amended and then always agreed a number of letters at the highest level possible.”
Mr Yang said in a statement on Friday the spying allegations against him are “entirely unfounded”.
Prince Andrew, Virginia Giuffre and Ghislaine Maxwell, pictured in a photo believed to have been taken in 2001. Pic: Rex/Shutterstock
The Jes Staley emails
Emails showed Epstein inviting Andrew to meet Staley on 27 February, saying: “jes staley will be in London on next tue afternoon, if you have time [sic].”
Andrew replied: “Jes is coming on 1st March or next week?”
The pair then engaged in a discussion about press articles, before the duke told Epstein they would “play some more soon”.
Sky News has contacted Prince Andrew for a comment.
The body of a woman has been recovered from the River Dee close to where two missing sisters disappeared in Aberdeen.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both aged 32, were last spotted on CCTV in the city’s Market Street at Victoria Bridge at about 2.12am on Tuesday 7 January.
The women were seen crossing the bridge and turning right on to a footpath next to the River Dee in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club.
On Friday, it was confirmed a woman’s body had been recovered from the water east of the club.
Although the body is yet to be formally identified, Police Scotland said the family of Henrietta had been informed.
The force added there were “no apparent suspicious circumstances”, with searches ongoing for Eliza.
The Police Scotland dive and marine unit, along with other specialist officers, are carrying out further searches of the river and the riverbanks between Queen Elizabeth Bridge and Victoria Bridge.
A police dive boat pictured on the River Dee at Aberdeen Harbour earlier this month. Pic: PA
Pic: PA
Superintendent David Howieson said: “Our thoughts are with the Huszti family today. We are keeping them fully updated following this recovery and the further search activity which is ongoing.
“Our priority remains finding both of the sisters and search has focused on the River Dee and will do so in the coming days.
“We are carrying out further searches of the river in the area where the body was recovered this morning.
“The river in this area is tidal and conditions are challenging but we will continue to search and make every effort to locate both of the sisters.
“We have sought guidance from a number of experts and this will continue to inform our search activity.”
Investigating officers previously said there had been “no evidence” of the women leaving the immediate area and there had been nothing to suggest “suspicious circumstances or criminality”.
The police revealed that the sisters – who are part of a set of triplets and originally from Hungary – visited the bridge where they were last seen about 12 hours before they disappeared.
They also sent a text message to their landlady on the morning they vanished, indicating they would not be returning to the flat.
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Superintendent Howieson added: “We know how much of an impact this has had in Aberdeen and much further afield.
“We have had a positive response from the public to our appeals and I would like to thank everyone who has already come forward to date.
“I would again urge anyone with any information which could help our investigation to get in touch.”
Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
In a statement released via Police Scotland earlier this month, the family said: “This has been a very worrying and upsetting time for our family.
“We are really worried about Eliza and Henrietta and all we want is for them to be found.”
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