Vanessa Feltz and Gyles Brandreth defend This Morning against toxic claims

Vanessa Feltz and Gyles Brandreth have both spoken out in defence of This Morning, denying it is a 'toxic' place to work.

Following Phillip Schofield's resignation, the ITV daytime show has been hit by accusations of bullying and an MP revealed at a government hearing that "whistle-blowers" had told him it is a "very unhappy place."

Feltz, 61, is a regular contributor and guest presenter on This Morning and claimed the people saying it is an unhappy place have a grudge.

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She said on her Talk TV show: "It has been suggested that quite a lot of the people who are very vocally critical of This Morning.

"And, actually, it's a handful of people, there are some celebrities, a couple of journalists, and what's been suggested is quite a lot of them were once on the programme and aren't on it anymore.

"And that is the reason for this aggrieved, grudging malice that is coming out but if you ask people who are still on the programme and who are on it regularly, who enjoy being on it, they won't know what they're talking about."

This Morning commentator Brandreth, 75, told Good Morning Britain he only had a happy experience ofworking on the show.

He told Susanna Reid and Ed Balls on their ITV breakfast show: "I have been there for a couple of years and I have to say I don't think I've worked in a happier, easier, more comfortable place.

"Everyone - from my experience, which goes back only two years - mutually supported from make-up to management.

"I know there is going to be this external review looking at the history and lessons that can be learned form that, but here we are - we're all in the same building, some of the crew [at GMB] are the same crew who work on This Morning."

Following his resignation after 21 years working on the show Schofield said in a statement on social media: “Now I no longer work on @thismorning I am free to say this. I hope you have noticed that it’s the same handful of people with a grudge against me or the show who seem to have the loudest voice.

“This Morning is the best show to work on, with the best people. In all the years I worked there there was no toxicity."

But Eamonn Holmes - who was axed from This Morning after 15 years in 2021 - who has claimed there was a "total cover-up" of Schofield's affair with a younger production assistant on the show.

Dr Ranj Singh has claimed he was dropped from the show after he spoke out to ITV executives about the culture of "bullying and discrimination" he had experienced on the show.

Back in 2019 Amanda Holden has also claimed she forced out of her guest presenting spot because of friction between her and Schofield.

Read more: Holly Willoughby: Kay Burley accidentally calls This Morning host 'Hollow' on air

Most recently MP John Nicholson branded This Morning editor Martin Frizell, "Outrageously dismissive and flippant," as he criticised his attitude towards allegations of bullying at a government hearing.

Watch: Vanessa Feltz discusses I'm A Celebrity on This Morning