Phillip Schofield to be absent from This Morning for another two weeks
Phillip Schofield will be absent from ITV’s This Morning for another two weeks, after missing the daytime show since Monday (27 March).
Alison Hammond and Joel Dommett have been standing in for the presenter alongside Holly Willoughby, while Schofield’s brother Timothy is on trial.
ITV has confirmed that Phillip will not be returning during the Easter holidays, as he and Willoughby take their scheduled two-week break.
Hammond and Dermot O’Leary, who usually present the show on Fridays, will stand in for the pair.
Timothy, 54, is on trial at Exeter Crown Court charged with 11 sexual offences involving a child between October 2016 and October 2019, including two of sexual activity with a child.
Timothy denies three counts of causing a child to watch sexual activity, three of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, three of causing a child to engage in sexual activity and two of sexual activity with a child.
The civilian police worker from Bath is said to have told his TV star brother about some of the alleged offences in September 2021.
In a written statement, Phillip told the court that his brother had phoned him in an agitated and upset state and that he had invited him to drive to his home in London.
Phillip said they spent several hours talking, including eating a meal at his home.
“I was washing up and Tim was standing behind me and he said, ‘You are going to hate me for what I am about to say,’” Phillip said.
“I said there was nothing he could say that would make me hate him. Then he said that he and [the boy] had time together and that last year they had watched porn… and [masturbated]”.
“I turned and said, ‘What did you just say?’ He said it was last year and we were alone together.
“Tim said it was just this once. I told him it should never happen again. He then started to tell me about [the boy’s] body.
“I said, ‘F***, stop.’ I shouted at Tim that he had to stop. I didn’t want to know any of the details but he made it sound like a one-off.
“I said, ‘I don’t want you to tell me anymore’. I said, ‘You’ve got to stop, just never do it again. Regardless how that happened it must never happen again.’
“Tim would say it was just ‘[boy] time’. I said, ‘What the hell is [boy] time?’”
The trial continues.
If you’re worried about a child, even if you’re unsure, you can contact professional counsellors at the NSPCC for help, advice and support by emailing help@nspcc.org.uk or calling 0808 800 5000. For those aged 18 or under, Childline offers free, confidential advice and support whatever your concern and whenever you need help. Call 0800 1111 or Contact Childline.
