Phillip Schofield’s ITV career ‘erased in three minutes’ at NTAs

In a scathing observation about the awards this week, it was noted that Phillip Schofield’s two-decade career was “erased in three minutes”, despite the presence of his former co-star, Holly Willoughby

Phillip Schofield’s two-decade career at ITV was “erased in three minutes” at the National Television Awards, it has been claimed. In a scathing observation about a montage at the glitzy awards this week, a journalist has pointed out that Schofield’s “30-year” contributions to ITV were notably omitted, despite the presence of his former co-star, Holly Willoughby.

The former This Morning star abruptly quit the flagship ITV show in May 2023 after admitting to an “unwise but not illegal” affair with a younger male colleague and has since stepped back from the spotlight.

Schofield, who also hosted Dancing on Ice alongside Willoughby, also claimed in a statement announcing his resignation at the time that the “consensual on-off relationship” was “now over”.

Despite a brief return to TV in the form of Channel 5’s Cast Away in 2024, Schofield has largely lain low since the scandal. And now one commentator has suggested his 30-year ITV career has been “erased” after he was missing from an emotional montage at the National Television Awards.

The Daily Mail’s Ephraim Hardcastle writes: “Phillip Schofield’s 20-year career at ITV was erased in three minutes at Wednesday’s National Television Awards.

“While his erstwhile This Morning partner Holly Willoughby featured, he was not mentioned in a montage showcasing 70 years of ITV’s stars. Not even a jokey, ‘Whatever happened to Phil whatsisname?!'”

Schofield signed his first exclusive contract with ITV in 1993 and is most known for fronting This Morning from 2002-2023 and Dancing On Ice on and off between 2006 and 2023. He resigned after the scandal broke in 2023.

In a statement to the Daily Mail at the time of the scandal, Schofield said he “met the man when he was a teenager and was asked to help him to get into television”.

He also issued an apology for lying to his colleagues, bosses, the public and the media. An ITV spokesperson said they were “deeply disappointed by the admissions of deceit” made by the presenter, noting that it had severed ties with him, reports the BBC.

In further quotes attributed to an ITV spokesperson, they said: “The relationships we have with those we work with are based on trust.

“Phillip made assurances to us which he now acknowledges were untrue and we feel badly let down.”

Earlier this year, ITV opted to end Dancing on Ice, which meant that Willoughby’s 21-year run as an ITV presenter had come to an end, having first joined the network in 2004 on CITV’s Ministry of Mayhem.

She also withdrew from You Bet!, co-hosted with Stephen Mulhern, due to scheduling conflicts with her reportedly now-axed Netflix show, Celebrity Bear Hunt, featuring famed TV adventurer Bear Grylls.

In March, an insider said: “It’s true there is nothing for Holly in the pipeline at the moment but that is unlikely to remain the case in the longterm. ITV has a long and happy history with Holly, our viewers love her, and she’s sure to be back soon.”

Source: Mirror