Broadcaster says Phillip Schofield’s mental health must be considered

'We have to remember that at some point, it's vultures circling the prey'

Last week, Schofield released a statement in which he revealed he had lied about having a relationship with a younger colleague whilst he was married to his then-wife Stephanie Lowe.

He announced he had resigned from ITV and was dropped by his management company shortly after.

Since then former This Morning presenters such as Eamonn Holmes and Dr Ranj Singh have spoken out about Schofield and a 'toxic culture' on the ITV show.

But one media figure has suggested that Schofield's mental health needs to be given more consideration during the sage.

Speaking on Talk TV last night Esther Krakue said she believes the external investigation being launched to discover who knew what about the confirmed affair, is not necessary.

The writer and broadcaster said: "I think we're risking throwing Phillip Schofield under the bus.

"Clearly what he did was wrong, he was in a position of power. I think the biggest issue was his connections in getting this young runner the job at ITV.

"We know this was a young person who was enamoured by Schofield and that dynamic was very toxic however, we have to remember that at some point there's going to be a situation where it's vultures circling the prey here."

Esther went on to compare Schofield's treatment by the public and media to that which the late Caroline Flack experienced.

She said: "We have to remember that he is still a human being. It was this kind of bullying that took out Caroline Flack.

"His mental health must be under an enormous amount of strain because while he was wrong, he has lost so much.

"He's lost his credibility that he has built over the last thirty years, he's no longer hosting award shows, he's been dropped by the Prince's Trust and he's had his privacy invaded.

"I think enough is enough, this enquiry is not necessary. This is not the BBC. This highlights what happens when you have inappropriate relations at work."

On Wednesday, ITV announced it has launched an external review of how it handled the relationship between Schofield and the colleague.

The investigation process will create a timeline of facts to determine who knew about Phillip's affair and a number of ITV bosses and staff will be questioned.

Related links:

Phillip Schofield dropped by Prince’s Trust as ITV faces questions from MPs

Video shows Phillip Schofield joking with young lover about ‘still getting away with it’

Phillip Schofield slams those with ‘grudge’ against him in new statement