An independent investigation led by KC found that Phillip Schofield’s support of a younger male colleague with whom he was having an affair greatly aided the colleague’s advancement in his career at ITV. However, the colleague eventually succeeded on his own merits.
The host of This Morning resigned after confessing to having a “unwise, but not illegal” affair. There were accusations that ITV executives had ignored the relationship.
Jane Mulcahy KC, on Thursday, advised the broadcaster to establish specific guidelines for “talent” in order to promote good behavior, even among well-known individuals.
In June, ITV initiated an unbiased investigation led by Mulcahy to assess their handling of speculation surrounding the connection between Schofield and a This Morning production team member, as well as grievances from This Morning employees. The review also aimed to determine if ITV’s response was satisfactory.
Mulcahy discovered that ITV had put in significant effort to uncover the truth regarding a reported relationship, following the release of a story in the Sun in December 2019. However, due to the denials from those involved, ITV was unable to obtain relevant evidence until Schofield’s admission in May 2023.
According to Mulcahy, the top executives at ITV and the senior staff of This Morning were unaware of the nature of the relationship until the individual’s statement. Mulcahy also mentioned that a former junior employee admitted to knowing about the affair, but did not report it.
In May, Schofield resigned from his 21-year hosting role on This Morning after confessing to having an affair with a colleague while married to his wife of 30 years, Stephanie Lowe. He publicly came out as gay in February 2020.
The revelation of the scandal and Schofield’s decision to step down caused a lot of commotion in the media. In June, ITV’s CEO, Carolyn McCall, was questioned by Members of Parliament on the House of Commons committee for culture, media, and sport regarding the incident and the overall atmosphere within the company.
She was questioned about claims made by former hosts Piers Morgan and Eamonn Holmes that the broadcaster was aware of Schofield’s relationship but did not take any action.
The review’s findings and recommendations were welcomed by Andy Cosslett, chair of ITV plc.
He stated that their goal is to establish a respectful and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive and contribute their best.
We guarantee that we will thoroughly investigate any complaints or serious concerns raised by those we work with. If we discover any inappropriate behavior, we will take appropriate action.
We will continue to work towards empowering younger colleagues to voice their concerns or ideas.
Source: theguardian.com
