This Morning goes into meltdown: Guests refuse to appear as ITV ‘loses £2m in contracts’ and main sponsor Arnold Clark announces it won’t renew multi-million-pound deal – as insiders warn brands don’t feel ‘safe’ working with the channel
- Car dealer Arnold Clark, its biggest sponsor, says it will not be renewing contract
- It is also understood guests are now refusing approaches to appear on the show
This Morning has been plunged into further chaos after losing millions of pounds in sponsorship deals amid the fallout from the scandal surrounding Phillip Schofield.
Car dealer Arnold Clark, the show’s biggest sponsor, has announced it will not be renewing its existing multi-million-pound deal with the channel in autumn as planned.
Once ITV’s ‘jewel in the crown’, the Mail understands some people are now also refusing offers to appear as guests on the show.
ITV bosses are fighting to save the show, with brands associated with the channel having become concerned it is ‘no longer a safe bet’.
It comes after Dr Ranj Singh, who was a regular guest on This Morning, accused the show of having a ‘toxic’ culture of bullying and discrimination, adding that he had taken his concerns to ‘the top’ but felt he had been ‘managed out’ and was dropped from screens.
Once ITV’s ‘jewel in the crown’, the Mail understands some people are now also refusing offers to appear as guests on the show
Car dealer Arnold Clark, the show’s biggest sponsor, has announced it will not be renewing its existing multi-million-pound deal with the channel in autumn as planned
Despite the chaos, This Morning will be aired as normal on ITV today.
Good Morning Britain newsreader Sean Fletcher has repeatedly told viewers the show will be returning as normal.
Arnold Clark’s multi-year deal with This Morning began in September 2021, but the car dealer has confirmed it will not be renewed when the contract ends later this year.
READ MORE: ITV crisis deepens as Phillip Schofield’s younger ex-lover denies bosses ever quizzed him over the ‘unwise’ affair despite claims they did after Dr Ranj hits out at This Morning’s ‘toxic’ culture
A source told The Sun: ‘There is a lot of speculation about This Morning’s future and some staff are concerned about their jobs.
‘Phil’s admission of deceit has plunged ITV into a crisis which it has never been faced with before. It is widely known internally that they have lost over £2million in sponsorship deals since Phil’s affair became public.
‘Arnold Clark, who are the main sponsors of This Morning, are also reconsidering their position.
‘Brands do not feel ITV is a safe bet at the moment. ITV are doing all they can to claw back control — but it will not be an easy task.’
In a statement the car dealer said: ‘Our existing sponsorship of This Morning will end this Autumn as planned.’
An ITV insider said the image of the daytime show is ‘clearly tarnished’, but the channel’s bosses will continue fighting to preserve its future.
A source told The Mirror: ‘The next few weeks will be a desperate bid to save the show – and the jobs of the execs. Fingers are being pointed at the top brass, even though he admitted he lied to all of them.
‘The show’s wholesome image is clearly tarnished, but bullish ITV execs are not going to just throw the baby out with the bath water.
‘They are determined to prove that the brand is stronger than any single presenter, and that they can give it a fresh start after Schofield.’
This Morning has been surrounded by chaos since Schofield was forced to admit in a statement to the Daily Mail on Friday that he had lied about his relationship with the younger man to ITV, his lawyers, his talent agency and his co-star of 14 years.
Last night the scandal showed no signs of easing with new photos emerging of a smiling Schofield, 61, pictured with his former lover and Willoughby in 2018 as they left a This Morning Live event.
And the Mail revealed that while ITV insists that it held an investigation into the men’s relationship when rumours began to circulate in 2020, the host’s former lover said he had never been quizzed over the matter.
READ MORE: Who are the ITV bigwigs that have yet to speak out on the Phillip Schofield scandal?
Holly Willoughby is understood to be battling to maintain her presenting role on the show and hopes to ride out the scandal.
She has currently been off-air since Schofield’s sudden departure, however, this was due to planned holiday for the school half term break.
The presenter of 14-years is expected to make a return to the programme on Monday, June 5.
But Willoughby is facing calls for her to also leave the show, with former culture secretary Nadine Dorries who claimed the much-loved presenter ‘has questions to answers’.
Since Schofield dramatically left the programme earlier this month, photos of the long-time host have been removed from ITV studios in White City.
A large framed picture of Schofield which hung in TV Centre in London where the show is filmed was also removed.
Some have called for the mid-morning show to be cancelled all together, with the editor who launched it 36 years ago calling for it to ‘die with dignity’ yesterday evening.
Dianne Nelmes said the show had become ‘tired’ and was now ‘shipwrecked on scandal’.
She added: ‘The situation is very sad. Whatever has gone on, Phillip has been a stalwart presenter of the show.
‘I don’t think that Holly can hold this show on her own, not even with Alison Hammond which is said to be the favoured outcome. I don’t think Holly can handle it. Phil will be missed.’
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