Entertainment
Phillip Schofield issues apology to Holly Willoughby for lying about affair: ‘I’ve lost my best friend’-Stella Akinwumi-Entertainment – Metro
‘I let that entire show down. I let the viewers down.’
Phillip Schofield has apologised to former co-host Holly Willoughby for lying about his affair (Picture: ITV)
Phillip Schofield publicly apologised to his former This Morning co-host Holly Willoughby for lying about his affair with a young male showrunner.
Schofield, 61, announced his exit from the daytime programme after more than 20 years, following rumours that he and Willoughby, 42, were ‘barely speaking’ behind the scenes and that their relationship had cooled.
Days later, he sensationally resigned from all his ITV projects including hosting the British Soap Awards after revealing that he had an ‘unwise but not illegal’ affair with a younger colleague on This Morning while still with his wife Stephanie Lowe.
Shortly after his shock announcement, Willoughby, 42, shared her own statement on social media, saying she was ‘hurt’ to have been ‘lied’ to.
She wrote: ‘It’s taken time to process yesterday’s news. When reports of this relationship first surfaced, I asked Phil directly if this was true and was told it was not.
Addressing the scandal publicly for the first time, the former Dancing on Ice host said: ‘I’ve lost my best friend. I let her down (Holly). I let that entire show down. I let the viewers down.
Phillip resigned from the broadcaster following his statement (Picture: PA)
‘I’ve lost my best friend. I let her down.’ (Picture: ITV)
‘Holly did not know (about the romance). And she was one of the first texts that I sent, to say, ‘I am so, so sorry that I lied to you,’ he added to The Sun.
The mum-of-three has been maintaining a low profile since Schofield’s departure from This Morning and his shock resignation from ITV which followed.
‘It’s been very hurtful to now find out that this was a lie. Holly.’
Willoughby, who is returning to presenting This Morning on Monday, June 5 after taking an early half-term break, has been seen for the first time since the scandal erupted.
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In pictures obtained by The Sun, Willoughby was seen relaxing in Portugal with her family.
Keeping herself hidden, she wore a hat and sunglasses covering her face, paired with a warm, cream jumper.
She was seen with her family including her son and her mum while dining in Quarteira, near to her £8million villa, the publication notes.
Metro.co.uk has reached out to Holly Willoughby’s reps for comment.
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