2023 has indeed been a challenging year for Phillip Schofield as the skeletons he had been hiding in his closet finally caught up with him. On 20 May, the ITV presenter stepped down as presenter of This Morning, after 20 years of being on the show.
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The events unfolded after his brother was found guilty of sexual assault in the same month, however that was not the reason behind why he left.
Phillip Schofield's scandalous affair
He later admitted to having an affair with a much younger production team member, while he was still married to Stephanie Lowe. Schofield met the young man when he was just 15, but only got romantically involved with him after he started working for the show at the age of 18. The identity of the man remains unknown.
At the time of the ongoing affair, Schofield was questioned about ongoing rumours, which he then denied. Schofield finally admitted this year:
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.
Since then, he has been out of the limelight and there has been a lot of speculation on whether he will return to screens one day.
Read more:
⋙ Phillip Schofield: ITV’s investigation into his scandal may not be as thorough as they claim
The Runner: An alleged documentary in the making
In a strange turn of events, it has now been claimed that a TV series about the whole ITV drama may be in the making. An unknown source has told The Sun that the drama will cover everything from his affair to when he stepped down and that it will make both ITV and Phillip Schofield ‘uncomfortable’.
It may also reveal details that unravelled 'behind-closed-doors' that are currently unbeknownst to the public.
In news that nobody asked for... 🙄
— Metro (@MetroUK) September 15, 2023
A TV series dramatising Phillip Schofield’s exit from This Morning and the affair that he had with a younger colleague is reportedly in the works.
The show's working title is ‘The Runner’. https://t.co/gAahUXrUoD
The source said:
A production company’s started work and they think the series would be a perfect fit for Channel 4.
The storyline will reflect what went on. People have seen it from the outside but the drama will give a perspective on what may have occurred behind-closed-doors.
In fact, it seems like the alleged show has already got a working title, The Runner.
It remains to be seen whether the source's claims are in fact true, but if they are, it would indeed be a huge blow to both Phillip Schofield and ITV.
Read more: Phillip Schofield: Does he still have support among ITV amid ongoing internal investigation?
Sources used:
The Tab: A timeline of how Phillip Schofield went from the king of daytime TV to a ‘national disgrace’
The Sun: Phillip Schofield This Morning scandal to be laid bare in ‘jaw-dropping’ new TV series
