Phillip Schofield – what did ITV know? The key questions as broadcaster’s bosses face MPs
Following Phillip Schofield’s dramatic exit from This Morning, ITV bosses are now set to face questions from MPs.
The broadcaster’s chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall will appear at a parliamentary committee this morning to answer questions about its approach to safeguarding and handling complaints.
Kevin Lygo, ITV‘s managing director for media and entertainment, and Kyla Mullins, the channel’s general counsel and company secretary, will also give evidence.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
‘I don’t want this to be a witch hunt’
Schofield admitted an “unwise but not illegal” affair with a younger male colleague, after weeks of speculation about a feud with his This Morning co-presenter Holly Willoughby.
The 61-year-old later clarified in an interview that the colleague was 20 when the relationship started, but they first met when the younger man was 15.
Given they were both consenting adults at the time Schofield says the relationship began, some have criticised the inquiry and the headlines the presenter’s departure from ITV has generated. Writing for The Times, presenter Jeremy Clarkson questioned the “berserk” response, saying Schofield is “only guilty of being what he said he was: gay”.
But the admission has raised concerns about the imbalance of power and prompted questions about how much ITV knew about the relationship – Schofield has insisted that neither bosses nor Willoughby were aware.
What did ITV know?
Following Schofield’s admission of the affair, ITV has said it investigated “rumours of a relationship” involving a younger employee – but the pair “categorically and repeatedly denied” the affair.
This was around the time the presenter, who has been married to his wife Stephanie Lowe since 1993, came out as gay with an announcement on This Morning, supported by Willoughby, in 2020.
In a statement, ITV said both Schofield and the male colleague were questioned in 2020 but both denied the “rumours”, as did the star’s agency, YMU – who have now dropped him.
Read more on Phillip Schofield:
What have we learned from star’s interviews?
The timeline of presenter’s ITV departure
“In addition, ITV spoke to a number of people who worked on This Morning and were not provided with, and did not find, any evidence of a relationship beyond hearsay and rumour,” the statement said.
It went on to say Schofield had “lied to people at ITV, from senior management to fellow presenters, to YMU, to the media and to others”.
However, former This Morning presenter Eamonn Holmes has accused the broadcaster of a “total cover-up”.
When asked by Sky News if mistakes were made in their 2020 investigation, Mr Lygo replied: “No.”
Who is Dame Carolyn McCall?
ITV chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall
Dame Carolyn became the first female boss of ITV at the end of 2017, moving to the broadcaster after leaving her role as chief executive of the EasyJet airline. Before that, she ran the Guardian Media Group.
She was awarded her damehood in 2016 for services to the airline industry.
Dame Carolyn has overseen ITV during a difficult period that has included Piers Morgan quitting Good Morning Britain, the axing of The Jeremy Kyle Show, and the suicides of two Love Island contestants and the show’s presenter Caroline Flack.
Read more:
Holly Willoughby’s This Morning return statement
This Morning editor says scores are being settled
Following the fall-out from Schofield’s affair admission, she instructed a barrister to carry out an external review of the facts surrounding the relationship.
Jane Mulcahy KC, of Blackstone Chambers, will conduct this.
“She will review our records and talk to people involved,” Dame Carolyn said in a letter sent to Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer, culture media and sport (CMS) committee chair Dame Caroline Dinenage, and Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes. “This work will also consider our relevant processes and policies and whether we need to change or strengthen any.”
Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts
What happens today?
Dame Carolyn, Mr Lygo and Ms Mullins will appear before the CMS committee to answer questions about the scandal.
MPs will want to know whether senior executives knew about the relationship, and how the younger colleague came to get the job on This Morning in the first place.
Were there systems in place to protect young members of staff from any potential manipulation or abuse of power from those higher up?
What were the circumstances surrounding the younger colleague’s move to Loose Women and, later on, his departure from ITV?
Whatever happens, Dame Caroline has assured the questioning won’t be a “witch hunt” against Schofield.
However, when asked by Sky News if she had concerns about ITV’s handling of the situation, she said: “The fact is that these big public service broadcasters have these gods of television, these incredibly powerful and successful celebrities who do have incredible influence and power, and my committee want to make sure that there are the right workplace practices in place, the right duty of care over junior staff members.
“They (celebrities) do have the potential power over other people’s careers, and we want to ensure that everything is in place that prevents that being abused in any way.”
The hearing is due to begin at 10am.
The Oscars will be streamed live on YouTube from 2029 after being broadcast on the ABC network for decades.
It means the annual film awards will be available to the video-sharing platform’s two billion users for free around the world in four years.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the deal with Google-owned YouTube on Wednesday, saying the streaming giant will have the exclusive global rights to the Hollywood awards from 2029 to 2033.
YouTube will effectively be the home to all things Oscars, including red-carpet coverage, the Governors Awards and the Oscar nominations announcement.
The Academy Awards ceremony has been broadcast by ABC for most of its history, but 2028 will be its last year showing the Oscars as they celebrate their 100th anniversary.
“The Oscars, including red carpet coverage, behind-the-scenes content, Governors Ball access, and more, will be available live and for free to over two billion viewers around the world on YouTube, and to YouTube TV subscribers in the United States,” an announcement on the Academy Awards’ website read.
“We are thrilled to enter into a multifaceted global partnership with YouTube to be the future home of the Oscars and our year-round academy programming,” said academy chief executive Bill Kramer and academy president Lynette Howell Taylor.
They said the new partnership with the platform “will allow us to expand access to the work of the academy to the largest worldwide audience possible”.
File pic: Reuters
‘Inspiring new generation of creativity and film lovers’
“The Oscars are one of our essential cultural institutions, honouring excellence in storytelling and artistry,” said YouTube chief executive Neal Mohan.
“Partnering with the academy to bring this celebration of art and entertainment to viewers all over the world will inspire a new generation of creativity and film lovers while staying true to the Oscars’ storied legacy.”
Read more from Sky News:
Paramount backer pulls out of Warner Bros takeover bid
Sydney Sweeney on challenges women face to ‘have it all’
The awards will be available with audio tracks in many languages, in addition to closed captioning.
Last year’s Academy Awards were watched by 19.7 million viewers on the Disney-owned ABC, a five-year high but far below the show’s biggest audience of 57 million in 1998.
The network has been the broadcast home to the Oscars for almost its entire history. NBC first televised the Oscars in 1953, but ABC picked up the rights in 1961.
Aside from a period between 1971 and 1975, when NBC again aired the show, the Oscars have been on ABC.
Rob Reiner’s son Nick made his first court appearance on Wednesday on two counts of first-degree murder in the killing of his parents.
Wearing a suicide prevention smock and shackles, the 32-year-old did not enter a plea as he appeared from behind the glass wall of a custody area.
His next court appearance will be on 7 January.
As it happened: Nick Reiner makes first court appearance
Nick Reiner makes his first court appearance on murder charges in this courtroom sketch. Pic: Reuters/Mona Edwards
Nick Reiner spoke only to say, “yes, your honour” to agree to the date.
He was charged Tuesday with killing the 78-year-old actor and director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced at a news conference.
Nick Reiner is being held without bail and could face the death penalty.
Along with the two counts of first-degree murder, prosecutors added a special circumstance of multiple murders, as well as an allegation that he personally used a dangerous and deadly weapon, a knife.
Speaking outside the court, Nick Reiner’s lawyer, Alan Jackson, called on the public not to “rush to judgement”.
Mr Jackson pointed to “complex and serious issues that are associated with this case” that needed to be thoroughly and “very carefully dealt with and examined”.
He added that it was a “devastating tragedy that has befallen the Reiner family”.
Rob Reiner, Michele Singer Reiner, Romy Reiner, Nick Reiner, Maria Gilfillan and Jake Reiner. Pic: JanuaryImages/Shutterstock
‘Unimaginable pain’
Nick Reiner’s two siblings Jake and Romy have released a statement, saying “words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day”.
“The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience,” they said.
“They weren’t just our parents; they were our best friends. We are grateful for the outpouring of condolences, kindness, and support we have received not only from family and friends but people from all walks of life.”
The two asked for “respect and privacy” and for speculation to be treated with “compassion and humanity”.
Authorities have not disclosed a motive for the killings.
Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner were found dead from apparent stab wounds in their home in the upscale Brentwood neighbourhood of Los Angeles.
The area near Rob Reiner’s home. Pic: AP
Read more from Sky News:
Moment Nick Reiner arrested for murder of his parents
Could Reiner actually face the death penalty?
Nick Reiner did not resist when he was arrested hours later near the University of Southern California, about 14 miles (22.5 kilometres) from the crime scene, according to police.
Rob Reiner was a celebrated director, whose work included some of the most memorable films of the 1980s and 1990s, including This Is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally and A Few Good Men.
He met Michele Singer, a photographer, movie producer and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, in 1989, while directing When Harry Met Sally.
Warner Bros is reportedly set to reject a hostile $108bn (£81bn) takeover bid from Paramount, with one of the prospective buyer’s financing partners confirming it’s pulled out of the offer.
A spokesman for investment firm Affinity, owned by Donald Trump‘s son-in-law Jared Kushner, told Sky News’ US partner network NBC News “the dynamics of investment have changed significantly”.
It had backed Paramount’s bid, along with funds from Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries.
Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal report the Warner Bros Discovery board are set to advise shareholders to reject Paramount‘s bid – paving the way for Netflix, which had struck a $72bn (£54bn) deal.
If the takeover goes through, it would give the streaming giant the rights to hit Warner franchises like Harry Potter, Batman, and Game Of Thrones, as well an extensive back catalogue of classic films.
Money latest: Oil prices fall to lowest level since 2021
Pic: iStock
It is the latest twist in a takeover saga where the winner will acquire a huge advantage in the streaming wars.
In June, Warner announced its plan to split into two companies – one for its TV, film studios and HBO Max streaming services, and one for the Discovery element of the business, which primarily comprises legacy TV channels that show cartoons, news, and sports.
Netflix agreed a $27.75 per-share price with the firm, which equates to the $72bn purchase figure deal to secure its film and TV studios, with the deal giving the assets a total value of $82.7bn.
However, Paramount said its offer would pay $30 (£22.50) cash per share, representing $18bn (£13.5bn) more in cash than its rival offered. The offer was made directly to shareholders, asking them to reject Netflix’s deal, in what is known as a hostile takeover.
The Paramount deal would involve rival US news channels CBS and CNN being brought under the same parent company.
Read more:
Why is Warner Bros for sale and how is Trump involved?
The US government will have a big say on the final deal, with the winning company likely facing the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Antitrust Division, a federal agency which scrutinises business deals to ensure fair competition.
-
Sports2 years agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports3 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Sports3 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment3 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment1 year agoHere are the best electric bikes you can buy at every price level in October 2024