When Phillip Schofield suddenly didn’t appear on the airwaves of This Morning last week, worried viewers wondered why. After all, if his side kicks Holly Willoughby was there, he should be. Only in the most extenuating circumstances would one be there without the other.
Even the show’s production staff was baffled. No cars had been booked to transport Schofield west from his home London studio for the whole week and they wanted to know why.
For more than two decades, Schofield has interviewed thousands of guests, often about the most vexing personal situations. But none of his millions of viewers could have known that he had been hiding his own devastating pain for months – his younger brother Timothy was awaiting trial for sexually assaulting a teenage boy.
In fact, it was far from common knowledge ITV, where Schofield, 61, is seen as a jewel in the crown of daytime television. Sources at the network say only a very a small number of senior employees were aware of the impending lawsuit.
On Monday, Timothy Schofield, 54, was found guilty of all 11 counts of abusing the boy when he was under 16. He has been remanded in custody pending sentencing at Bristol Crown Court.
For more than two decades, Schofield has interviewed thousands of guests on This Morning, often about the most distressing personal situations.
Timothy Schofield, 54, was found guilty of all 11 counts of abusing the boy when he was under 16
Phillip Schofield with his mother Pat and brother Tim
After the verdicts, a devastated Phillip labeled his brother’s crimes “despicable,” saying, “As far as I’m concerned, I don’t have a brother anymore.”
But amazingly, despite the emotional trauma, Phillip will soon be back on our screens.
ITV said yesterday that the presenter will return to This Morning in about two weeks after the Easter break.
“Phillip is a much loved member of our team and we wanted to make sure we supported him,” a source at the channel told the Mail. “We’re so glad he’s back where he belongs.” Many had feared that he would go on leave for a longer period of time as a result of the case.
It’s understandable that friends of the star are still worried about him – some were so shocked by what happened that they thought Phillip Schofield would retire from our screens forever.
“Can you imagine what he’s been through, it’s just so awful to see and hear it all come out,” said one. “It was a worry that he wouldn’t want to put himself out there again. He must be going through so many devastating emotions right now.”
Unsurprisingly, Schofield would have preferred the matter to remain a secret. It must have been unimaginably awful when his brother Timothy told him in September 2021 that he and the boy were “having their time together.”
Timothy had gone to Phillip’s house claiming it had happened ‘just once’ to which Phillip told him ‘it must never happen again’. And while the television host was doing the dishes, his brother described the boy’s body in great detail, prompting him to yell, “F***, stop!”
He added, “I don’t want you to tell me any more. However it happened, it must never happen again.’
Timothy Schofield told his TV star brother in September 2021 that he had performed a sexual act with the boy a year earlier, according to testimony given to the court
Phillip Schofield pictured last week after taking time off from This Morning while his brother, Timothy, was in court
A statement released by Phillip Schofield following his brother’s sentencing today
Joel Dommett was brought in to present This Morning with Holly Willoughby
Alison Hammond (left) – who normally presents with Dermot O’Leary (right) – and Joel Dommett were brought in to co-host the show with Holly Willoughby
The court heard how Timothy was in a heightened state of agitation and threatened to commit suicide.
That Phillip was able to continue to work despite the fact that he kept this painful secret about his brother from his immediate colleagues is very special. Very little remains secret in the daytime television wing of ITV. As one source said, ‘It’s gossip-centric; everyone knows each other’s business and what’s going on in the neighborhood. And things spread like wildfire. It’s amazing, and a testament to the bosses’ loyalty, that all of this was kept from us.
“Rumors eventually started to swirl, but it just wasn’t talked about.”
The Daily Mail can reveal that Phillip Schofield went to his bosses a few weeks ago and asked for leave so he could handle his brother’s lawsuit out of the public eye.
They immediately agreed and, says a source, “couldn’t do enough to help him.” After all, he is very popular on the channel.
Meanwhile, Schofield was supported by his close friend and confidant Martin Frizell – the editor of This Morning – and, of course, Mrs Willoughby, 42.
While ITV and its executives have said as little as possible about the matter, Ms Willoughby enthusiastically took to Instagram to post about Schofield’s replacements, Alison Hammond and Joel Dommett, the presenter of ITV’s Saturday night show The Masked Singer.
“Love you @alisonhammond55, same time tomorrow,” she said of Ms Hammond alongside a photo of them with their hands in the air. And she posted a photo of her with Dommett on the set of the show. Schofield was not mentioned.
“Holly is loyal to Phil and she will always be there for him,” a friend of hers tells me. ‘And she will always be there for This Morning too. She sees it as her role to keep things going.’
She will of course be sitting next to him when Phillip returns in two weeks – just as she was when he sensationally announced live on the program in February 2020 that he is gay, despite being married to wife Stephanie since March 1993.
Timothy Schofield (seen left with his head covered next to another man) was convicted of three counts of allowing a child to watch sexual activity, three counts of sexual activity in front of a child, three counts of inciting involvement of a child one child in sexual activity, and two of sexual activity with a child
Timothy Schofield – who left court earlier in the trial – was convicted of all charges
Clearly emotional, he was interviewed by Mrs. Willoughby about his decision to come out, telling her he was inspired by the “brave” guys who appeared on the show thinking, “I have to be that person.”
In an extraordinary piece of television, he was comforted on screen by Mrs Willoughby, Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford.
There’s no doubt things have been turbulent for Schofield of late, who made his name presenting children’s television on BBC1.
His decision to come out isn’t the only reason he’s been making headlines lately.
Last September, he and Mrs Willoughby were embroiled in what became known as ‘Queuegate’ after using press passes to jump ahead of the queue to see the Queen laid out in state at Westminster Hall. The scandal led to a nine-minute segment on This Morning in which Ms Willoughby tried to justify the duo’s decision not to wait in long lines like other celebrities, including David Beckham and their ITV colleague Susanna Reid.
Since Schofield claimed he was “unjustly targeted” for his decision not to queue, his bosses insisted there was no wrongdoing. However, in the court of public opinion, he and Mrs. Willoughby were found guilty, which significantly reduced their popularity with viewers.
Whether this latest ordeal will win the sympathy of viewers is doubtful. But there’s no doubt ITV is giving him even more love than usual as he prepares for a future where he’s estranged from the brother he was once so close to.