ITV are reportedly banning under-18s from working on This Morning after the scandal surrounding Phillip Schofield . Last year, the former presenter admitted to having an ‘unwise but not illegal’ affair with a younger male employee. The allegations emerged amid a rumoured rift with co-host Holly Willoughby , and Schofield later quit the programme, before sensationally resigned from his ITV projects in full, including Dancing On Ice .
His departure sparked further allegations that This Morning was fostering a bullying culture that had been described as toxic , as more details about the ‘affair’ – which he said occurred while he was still married to his wife of 30 years and before he came out as gay – came to light. The show runner, who remains anonymous, is 34 years Schofield’s junior, and was said to be 15 when he met the presenter, with the romantic relationship reportedly beginning when he was 20. According to The Sun , minors are now being banned from being employed at the channel, to ensure people feel safe in the work environment.
It’s also said the ‘ban’ will make it harder for nepotism to occur at the channel, with staff being less able to help out friends and family members who are not over 18. A source said: ‘ITV doesn’t want anything like the Schofield scandal happening again so they’re tightening their policies big-time. ‘They’re making it tougher for friends and family members of senior employees to get a job here so that there’s no .