EX This Morning contributor speaks out on Philip

Martin Daubney has said his only surprise at the Philip Schofield scandal is that “it’s taken so long for this to come out.”

In a discussion about the affair, the former MEP revealed that during his time as a contributor on the show, rumours were rife regarding Schofield’s relationship with a fellow colleague.

“I was a close friend of the show. I was a regular panellist, a debater, having very intimate debates about being a father, about mental health, about pornography addiction. I was there a lot.

“I consider myself very close to Phillip and Holly. And what I’ll say is this: These rumours have been going around for a long time, a long time. Everybody talked about this on set.

“And the thing I’m surprised about the most is that it’s taken so long for this to come out.”

ITV have confirmed in a statement that they carried out an investigation in early 2020.

“ITV can confirm that when rumours of a relationship between Phillip Schofield and an employee of ITV first began to circulate in early 2020 ITV investigated.

“Both parties were questioned and both categorically and repeatedly denied the rumours as did Phillip’s then agency YMU.

“In addition, ITV spoke to a number of people who worked on This Morning and were not provided with, and did not find, any evidence of a relationship beyond hearsay and rumour.”