ITV has hired a top lawyer to review the company's handling of the Phillip Schofield affair.
Phillip Schofield recently left ITV
Jane Mulcahy KC has been hired by the broadcaster to carry out an external review of the scandal, which led to Schofield's exit from 'This Morning' after more than two decades on the show.
Dame Carolyn McCall, the chief executive of ITV, says in a letter to Ofcom: "ITV spoke to a number of people who worked on the 'This Morning' and wider Daytime team and were not provided with, and did not find any evidence of, a relationship beyond hearsay and rumour.
"Given the ongoing rumours, we continued to ask questions of both parties, who both continued to deny the rumours, including as recently as this month."
Dame Carolyn also revealed that ITV has offered support to the former employee whom Schofield had an affair with.
She says: "The ITV employee was aged 19 when he first did work experience at 'This Morning' in 2015 and 20 years old when he applied and succeeded in securing a job as a runner on the show.
"He subsequently applied for and was successful in securing a promotion to 'Loose Women' in 2019. He left ITV in 2021.
"As you would imagine given the social media scrutiny of him, we have offered him our support throughout this period and indeed are still doing so.
"The employee has made it clear that he does not wish to be named or identified in connection with this matter. We would be grateful if you would be mindful of this.
"The relationships we have with those we work with are based on trust. Phillip made assurances to us and his agency which he now acknowledges were untrue and we feel badly let down."
ITV has now turned to a legal expert in a bid to "establish the facts".
Dame Carolyn wrote: "We have now instructed Jane Mulcahy KC (Blackstone Chambers) to carry out an external review to establish the facts.
"She will review our records and talk to people involved. This work will also consider our relevant processes and policies and whether we need to change or strengthen any.
"Given Phillip’s admission of the extent of his deception the work will extend to cover any related issues that may emerge. This work will be carried out as quickly as possible and we will be happy to share the outcome."
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