It’s the story that everyone’s talking about, and while it started with Phillip Schofield’s shock departure from This Morning, the focus has now fallen on the ITV network itself, with one disgruntled star after another stepping forward to blast the alleged “toxic” culture.
“Shaken” and “worried” were the words used by Holly Willoughby to describe her feelings when she addressed the nation on This Morning last Monday. But they could just as easily reflect how ITV’s bosses might be feeling right now.
And with ITV chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall, 61, being hauled into Parliament this week to discuss the network’s handling of Phil’s secret affair, it seems a can of worms has been opened, with the possibility of further bombshells to come.
Former This Morning host Eamonn Holmes, 63, claimed ITV knew about and “covered up” Phil’s affair, while many other high-profile stars are now coming forward to talk about their experiences at ITV too.
Ex-This Morning regular Dr Ranj Singh, 43, said the “issues with This Morning go far beyond him [Phillip]” and “it takes more than one person to create a culture”.
His comments were echoed by former Loose Woman Carol McGiffin, who branded the network “cut-throat, competitive and ruthless”.
Claiming “no one ever really had a good word” to say about Phil, the 63-year-old claimed the issues at ITV run way beyond the fallen host of This Morning, describing it as “dysfunctional” behind the scenes.
Carol, who recently quit Loose Women after more than 20 years due to a contract dispute, said, “They go on about the ‘ITV Daytime Family’ being cosy best mates, all caring and kind, but in my opinion it’s about as dysfunctional as they come.
“It’s cut-throat, competitive and ruthless, and can be quite unpleasant, and as soon as your face doesn’t fit any more, or you disagree with their narrative, you’re out the door.”
As allegations continued to circulate on how much ITV chose to cover up, ex-Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan, 58, weighed in on the argument, saying the “savages” at ITV knew about the Phil rumours.
“Everybody knew at ITV, right, let’s be crystal clear,” he claimed.
A series of scathing tweets by former X Factor star Rebecca Ferguson also added fuel to the fire. The singer, who shot to fame on the ITV talent show in 2010, spoke out about her “traumatic experience” on the show, describing it as “hellish”.
Rebecca, 36, said she wrote to the channel two years ago and asked them to review their code of conduct, following the suicides of Love Island stars, including presenter Caroline Flack.
But it’s been reported that she was informed by the broadcaster’s chief operating officer Sarah Clarke that an inquiry would not be going ahead.
Rebecca later claimed she spoke to other ITV reality stars who raised concerns about their treatment and aftercare, but had been under “several” non-disclosure agreements after appearing on ITV.
She said, “Some of my experiences in some ways are unbelievable and I would not wish this on anyone.”
As for beleaguered daytime show This Morning itself, new columnist Kerry Katona – who last week claimed ITV failed to ask her if she “needed a doctor or any help” after her troubling 2008 appearance on the sofa – believes things have to change.
“They need to revamp the show. It’s tarnished and tainted and it’s sh*te,” she said. “All these new relationships with Alison Hammond and Josie Gibson are just not believable.”
She also didn’t hold back when it came to ITV golden girl Holly. Sharing her thoughts on how the presenter addressed viewers on her first day back at the helm, Kerry, 42, said, “I thought Holly’s speech about Phil on This Morning last week was an absolute load of sh*te. It was awful.
"I felt it was so staged, so rehearsed, so heartless, so soulless. People want realness. No one believes Holly any more. I’d have more respect for her if she left This Morning and Dancing On Ice and said, ‘Do you know what, it’s time for me to walk away.’
"I have nothing against her at all, but as a viewer, I just don’t think it’s working any more. If it was up to me, I’d like Amanda Holden and Rylan to present it.”
However several stars have been quick to praise the network and offer their support. Regular This Morning star Vanessa Feltz defended the daytime show and blasted the “toxic” claims, saying certain former stars have a “grudge” and are making “malicious” statements about it.
The 61-year-old said, “If you ask people who are still on the programme, who enjoy being on it, they won’t know what they’re talking about.”
This Morning regular Gyles Brandreth, 75, said he’s only had happy experiences, adding, “I have been there for a couple of years and I have to say I don’t think I’ve worked in a happier, easier, more comfortable place.”
Also showing her support was Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden. Despite initially appearing to poke fun at Holly Willoughby’s returning speech by asking her Instagram followers if they were “OK”, just as Holly had asked This Morning’s viewers, she’s since backtracked.
The 52-year-old issued a statement branding rumours of a feud “utter rubbish”, saying it “simply does not exist”.
She added, “Sadly, strong and intelligent women have for far too long been pitted against one other when we should all be celebrated in our own right.”
Meanwhile, ITV said, “This Morning is made by one of the best and most diligent teams in television, who produce over 12 hours of live television each week. We are fully committed to providing every opportunity for anyone who works with us to raise any concern or comments they may have.”
And in response to the Rebecca Ferguson claims an ITV spokesperson said the broadcaster is “committed to having suitable processes to protect the mental health and welfare of programme participants”.
In an exclusive interview with new, Kim Woodburn has also expressed her opinion on the mishandling of her infamous appearance on Loose Women in August 2018.
The TV star was invited as a guest onto the panel to make amends with Coleen Nolan, 58, following their public spat on Channel 5’s Celebrity Big Brother. But Coleen was with her sister, and Janet Street-Porter was dressed as a judge when Kim walked on.
Things quickly took a turn for the worse as Coleen proved their feud was still going strong by engaging in an almighty row.
Now, as claims of a “toxic environment” circulate regarding ITV in headlines, the 81-year-old says feelings from that controversial TV battle have come flooding back.
Kim said, “The recent talk of toxicity at ITV has definitely brought back those feelings for me. I’ve been saying it all along and now I feel like I’m finally being proven right. ITV needs a full investigation – some of their shows thrive on bullying and being unkind.
“In my opinion, Phillip should have been let go a long time ago but ITV have allowed this kind of behaviour.”
With more people coming forward to tell stories of their time at ITV, Kim claims the show fed her “lies” and reassured her the episode wouldn’t broach the subject of her and Coleen Nolan’s fallout on CBB.
Loose Women was found not guilty of humiliating the TV star by Ofcom, but Kim claims the regulator received nearly 8,000 complaints for a reason and is eager to tell her side of the story as it’s something she has “never really got over”.
Kim said, “Loose Women assured me they wanted an interview with me to put things right [after CBB]. Looking back now, I should have known something was wrong.”
She claims, “ITV reassured me that it wouldn’t be a slagging match but that’s exactly what it was. Any time I’ve been on before there’s always been a live feed of the show in the dressing room – but this time there wasn’t.
“When I went out to the panel and was met with silence – no one asked me any questions to begin with – I realised I’d been set up. I was pulled to pieces and mocked. I can stand up for myself but not when you’re ganged up on. ITV should not have done it. The whole treatment of the show was hurtful and shocking.”
She claims, “ITV lied to me under false pretences for nastiness and TV ratings. I was disgusted with everything.”
But Kim also claims the lack of care didn’t end when the cameras stopped rolling, and says ITV purposefully tried to harass her further.
She continued, “After I came off set, I went straight to my dressing rooms but there were cameras waiting in the wings to follow me. This never usually happens. My agents pleaded with producers not to air the footage as I was so upset but they did.”
When speaking about her welfare following the show, Kim said it was her agent who had to seek it out and she wasn’t offered any support right away.
She continued, “I felt exploited by ITV. I was being mocked. I was being laughed at, and no one intervened to stop it. My agent had to ask the head of Loose Women, ‘Are you going to do anything about it and check on her welfare?’ They then offered their psychologist to talk to me but I wasn’t comfortable talking to a stranger.”
Then just five days after the episode aired, Kim claims that ITV asked if she’d like to provide a comment on what happened as Coleen was going to address the furore that took place. Kim point-blank refused.
Kim claims, “ITV knew I wasn’t in a good place. It was like rubbing salt in the wound. It should have been left alone, but this is, in my opinion, how they get their shows, by destroying people. The public put in an Ofcom complaint afterwards and since then I’ve never been asked to do another ITV show again.”
Now, when it comes to talks of the future of the network, Kim says there needs to be more support on offer.
She claims, “ITV needs to provide a better duty of care. For me, being questioned like that was rubbing salt in the wound. Things should have been left alone.”
ITV said: “As we said five years ago, Kim agreed to appear on the show on the understanding it was for a reconciliation with Coleen. Kim becoming upset was never the intention and the panel did endeavour to comfort her. Kim was offered and accepted support from ITV following the programme and Ofcom found the programme not to be in breach of the Broadcasting Code.”
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