Phillip Schofield is reported to be in line for a plum radio job after his much-talked about exit from This Morning.
Back in May the presenter, 61, resigned from ITV and its flagship breakfast programme after admitting to having an ‘unwise but not illegal’ affair with a younger colleague.
His departure then sparked further allegations the programme was fostering a bullying culture that had been described as toxic, with the likes of Dr Ranj Singh and Eamonn Holmes speaking out.
This week, the results from an external review into the facts was released, with ITV being found to have ‘made considerable efforts to determine the truth about an alleged relationship’.
It added Schofield ‘reluctantly declined’ to take part because of ‘the risk to his health’.
However, it did find that while Schofield did assist the young man in the early days of his career at ITV, beyond this the man ‘seems to have made his way on his own’.
Following the publication of the report it’s now being reported that Schofield could be returning to the public eye soon, albeit on the airwaves rather than on TV.
The Daily Mail has reported he is being tipped for a job on national radio with Britain’s largest commercial stations said to be ‘jostling to bring him in to woo new listeners from rivals, including BBC Radio 2’.
Industry insiders have told the publication that the findings of the report now ‘opens the door’ to him ‘getting a new big-money deal to return to work next year’.
While the source said a TV return was ‘unlikely for now’, they said that a ‘line in the sand’ has now been drawn.
‘Within a period of time there is now a place for Phillip to return, possibly not on TV yet, but there is now a myriad of opportunities for him on commercial radio where he will be offered big money to return to his first love,’ they said.
‘The KC’s report gives him a fresh chance – but nobody will be surprised at all to see that ITV has found itself in the clear as it tries to save This Morning’.
Schofield started out in local radio in New Zealand as a teenager before joining the BBC, hosting a popular show on Radio 1 while presenting Going Live.
He joined This Morning in 2002 and since then, has gone on to also front other shows including Dancing on Ice and The Cube.
In recent weeks his predecessors Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan have thrown their support behind him, also questioning why he had to leave This Morning.
Judy, who launched and co-hosted the show alongside husband Richard from 1988 until 2001 said: ‘I couldn’t understand why Phillip had to go.’
A few months ago, her husband also revealed he was supporting Schofield.
Speaking to The Sun, he said the way he was treated was a ‘pretty savage outcome after 21 years (in the job)’.
‘It seemed quite brutal to be honest.’
He went on to explain he ‘took a paternal interest in it’ and kept in touch with Schofield, telling him to ‘take it easy and that it’ll be all right’.
This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1.
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