Yahoo News This Morning: ITV boss says Phillip Schofield has been 'hounded' over scandal
Chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall was answering questions from MPs
Watch: ITV boss questioned in parliament
ITV chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall has said she believes Phillip Schofield has been "hounded" since leaving This Morning after admitting to an affair with a much younger colleague.
Answering questions from MP's at a committee hearing, McCall was asked about the broadcaster's knowledge of Schofield's actions and the working environment at ITV which some have accused of being toxic.
McCall was asked by Conservative MP Caroline Dinenage if she "shared concerns that Phillip Schofield is being hounded like Caroline Flack".
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Schofield’s affair with junior colleague was ‘deeply inappropriate’, ITV boss tells MPs (Evening Standard, 4 min read)
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The ITV boss replied by saying: "I don't want to make those comparisons although I would say I think he has been hounded, and I think he said himself that if it wasn't for his daughters he wouldn't be alive."
Talking directly about Schofield's affair for the younger colleague, McCall said it was a "deeply inappropriate workplace relationship given the power imbalance".
She also denied claims that ITV had covered up Schofield's conduct or been aware of the relationship beyond hearing of online rumours which they questioned him and the colleague about. Both denied having a relationship.
Read more: Phillip Schofield: My daughters have been guarding me during affair fallout (PA News, 2 min read)
McCall said that Schofield texted her personally to say "sorry" for his actions.
Schofield has denied the relationship with the colleague was "illegal" after it emerged that they first met each other when the colleague was 15.
The former Dancing on Ice presenter said their relationship only became sexual around five years later when the other person was "20 or 21".
During the questioning, McCall also answered questions relating to Love Island and The X Factor and the standard of care contestants received while on the reality shows.
McCall said that contestant care had improved "significantly" over the last few years following the suicides of two Love Island stars in 2019.
