Holly Willoughby denies knowing about Phillip Schofield's affair with 'younger' This Morning colleague

27 May 2023, 19:28 | Updated: 27 May 2023, 19:33

Holly Willoughby breaks silence on Phillip Schofield affair. Picture: ITV/Instagram

By Alice Dear

Holly Willoughby has said she is "hurt" to find out the rumours Phillip Schofield had an affair with a younger colleague are true.

Holly Willoughby, 42, has broken her silence after Phillip Schofield revealed to the world that he had an affair with a 'younger' member of the This Morning team.

The TV presenter, who has reportedly been feuding with Phillip, released a statement on Saturday afternoon, claiming that Phillip had lied to her about the affair.

The Dancing On Ice host claims she asked Phillip about the reports when they first surfaced and that he told her they were untrue.

Holly now says she feels "hurt" to find out the truth.

Holly Willoughby says Phillip Schofield 'lied' to her about his affair with This Morning colleague. Picture: ITV

The statement, shared on social media, reads: "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.

"It's been very hurtful to now find out that this was a lie. Holly."

Holly Willoughby released this statement following the revelation about Phillip Schofield's affair. Picture: ITV

This comes less than a day after Phillip admitted to the press that he had an affair with a "younger" member of the This Morning team.

While he said the affair was "unwise" he added that it was "not illegal".

His statement reads: "I am making this statement via the Daily Mail, to whom I have already apologised personally for misleading, through my lawyer who I also misled, about a story [sic] which they wanted to write about me a few days ago.

"The first thing I want to say is: I am deeply sorry for having lied to them, and to many others about a relationship that I had with someone working on This Morning. I did have a consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague at This Morning.

"Contrary to speculation, whilst I met the man when he was a teenager and was asked to help him to get into television, it was only after he started to work on the show that it became more than a just a friendship. That relationship was unwise, but not illegal. It is now over..."

Holly Willoughby is taking two weeks off This Morning amid the fallout. Picture: Getty

He continued: "I am painfully conscious that I have lied to my employers at ITV, to my colleagues and friends, to my agents, to the media and therefore the public and most importantly of all to my family. I am so very, very sorry, as I am for having been unfaithful to my wife...

"I am resigning from ITV with immediate effect, expressing my immense gratitude to them for all the amazing opportunities that they have given me.

"I will reflect on my very bad judgement in both participating in the relationship and then lying about it."