Phillip Schofield has admitted having an affair with a “much younger” male ITV employee while he was still married and revealed he is stepping down from his role at the British Soap Awards.

His admission came in a statement published in the Daily Mail.

The This Morning star, 61, was dropped from presenting the day time TV show last week, and has also parted company with his agent.

It is understood that the man, who is not a public figure, did not want the relationship to be made public.

In his statement, Mr Schofield said he was “deeply sorry” for lying about the relationship to ITV, his colleagues, friends and agents.

He said: “I did have a consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague at This Morning.

“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 just a friendship.

Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary pay tribute to Phillip Schofield on This Morning

This Morning presenters announced after Phillip Schofield exit

Phillip Schofield leaves This Morning after more than 20 years

“That relationship was unwise, but not illegal. It is now over.”

In a damning statement, his former agents, YMU Group, said “honesty and integrity” were core values of their business and that their relationships are “based entirely on trust”.

They added: “This week, we have learned important new information about our client Phillip Schofield.

“These facts contradicted what Phillip had previously told YMU, as well as the external advisors we had brought in to support him.

“As a result, on Thursday we agreed to part company with Phillip, with immediate effect.”

The affair took place before Mr Schofield publicly came out as gay, and while he was still married to his wife Stephanie Lowe.

Mr Schofield’s exit from This Morning came after weeks of rumours of a rift between him and his co-presenter Holly Willoughby.

Rumours of behind the scenes problems between the pair surfaced after his brother Tim Schofield was convicted of sexual activity with a child.

Mr Schofield who married his wife Stephanie in 1993, came out as gay on This Morning in 2020.

Related posts:

BAFTA Awards: Nomadland and director Chloe Zhao take top honours and make history Kylie: I’m relieved I didn’t find fame in the age of social media Journalist Martin Bashir quits BBC ‘to focus on his health’ Japanese actor and Kill Bill star Sonny Chiba dies aged 82 after COVID diagnosis Standing ovations to red carpet returns – five talking points from this year’s Emmys Ten most complained about television shows of 2021 have been revealed ‘I’m so sorry’: Sir Elton John forced to delay shows after testing positive for COVID-19 ‘Sacked via social media’ – Cast of Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella hit out after show cancelled Olly Murs announces engagement to bodybuilder girlfriend Amelia Tank Lisa Loring, the original Wednesday Addams actress, dies after stroke Why is Rick Astley suing rapper Yung Gravy? Freddie Mercury’s leather hotpants sell for thousands of pounds at auction