MP ridicules Holly Willoughby’s statement and tears into ITV boss over This Morning allegations

Watch: MP confronts ITV boss over This Morning editor's aubergine remarks

An MP has ridiculed Holly Willoughby's statement to viewers as he questioned This Morning editor Martin Frizell's future at ITV.

MP John Nicholson branded Frizell, "Outrageously dismissive and flippant," as he criticised his attitude towards allegations of bullying at the daytime show, following the resignation of Phillip Schofield.

ITV's Group Director of Strategy, Policy and Regulation Magnus Brooke was appearing before a select committee for the government department of Culture, Media and Sport to answer questions in relation the draft media bill.

Read more: Holly Willoughby: ‘We gave love and support to someone who was not telling the truth’

Nicholson, Scottish National Party MP for Ochil and South Perthshire, said: "I think it would be very odd if we had somebody senior like yourself from ITV without asking questions about the story about This Morning."

He then appeared to mock Holly Willoughby's statement to viewers by saying: "I suppose I should ask first of all, 'Are you okay?' That seems to be the question du jour at This Morning."

The MP went on to reveal: "I spent some time at the weekend talking to whistle-blowers from ITV including people who have worked at This Morning. It seems like a very unhappy place."

Brooke said: "Clearly bullying is unacceptable, if we find bullying, it's inconsistent with our policy, we'd expect people to report it and we'd expect it to be dealt with appropriately. And it will be."

Nicholson then referenced an interview This Morning editor Frizell gave to Sky News in which he was asked about a "toxic" work environment at the show.

Frizell had replied: “I’ll tell you what’s toxic and I’ve always found it toxic. Aubergine. Do you like aubergine? Do you? Do you like aubergine because I don’t like aubergine. It’s just a personal thing.”

Read more: This Morning editor Martin Frizell talks about aubergines

Nicholson said: "We all saw that surreal performance by the editor of the programme, asked about bullying and he started talking about aubergines.

"I think most people watching that would have thought, 'This is the person who's responsible for safeguarding young staff?!'

"He's being outrageously dismissive and flippant about an immensely serious issue.

"I wouldn't have liked to have been a young staffer going to that editor about bullying, given that's the way he treats the subject matter."

Brooke conceded: "I'd say it was extremely ill-judged to say what he did. But we do take these allegations very seriously."

Nicholson asked: "Is his position secure after that?"

Brooke replied: "That's not a question for me and it's not a question for now."

The emoji for the vegetable aubergine is used to represent a penis on social media.

ITV chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall is due to appear before the Culture, Media and Sport Committee next week to answer further questions about the alleged toxic work culture at This Morning.

In May Phillip Schofield announced he was stepping down as host of This Morning, before quitting ITV altogether after he confessed to having a secret affair.

In an interview with the BBC's Amol Rajan Schofield said he had "lost everything".

Returning to the show for the first time since his resignation, following a two week absence, Willoughby asked viewers: "Firstly, are you okay? It feels very strange indeed sitting here without Phil."

Philip Schofield: Read more

• Phillip Schofield: Viewers say it's time to 'be kind' after 'upsetting' interview

• Phillip Schofield: Key points from his interview after leaving This Morning (PA, 4 min read)

• Phillip Schofield says he's 'lost everything' and apologises over affair (Sky news, 5 min read)

She added that she was feeling "shaken, troubled and let down" as she "gave love and support to someone who was not telling the truth."