“It’s been very hurtful to now find out that this was a lie.”

Holly Willoughby has said that Philip Schofield lied to her about his affair with a younger male ITV colleague. On Friday evening, Schofield released a statement to the Daily Mail in which he revealed he had lied about having a relationship with the colleague in question whilst he was married to his then-wife Stephanie. In the statement the 61-year-old said: “I am making this statement via the Daily Mail, to whom I have already apologised personally for misleading, through my lawyer who I also misled, about a story which they wanted to write about me a few days ago. “Contrary to speculation, whilst I met the man when he was a teenager and was asked to help him to get into television, it was only after he started to work on the show that it became more than a just a friendship. That relationship was unwise, but not illegal. It is now over.” Taking to Instagram, Willoughby said: “When reports of this relationship first surfaced, I asked Phil directly if this was true and was told it was not. “It’s been very hurtful to now find out that this was a lie.” It’s been reported that The Mail know the identity of the man in question but have chosen not to name him. Last weekend, Schofield suddenly stepped down from his role as presenter on This Morning after 21 years. This followed reports of a breakdown in his relationship with co-host Holly Willoughby.  Cover presenters Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary paid tribute to Schofield at the start of Monday’s programme. Related links:

Holly Willoughby gives ITV an ultimatum 

Bookies reveal favourite to replace Phillip Schofield