Vanessa Feltz reacts to Phillip Schofield's affair confession

Vanessa Feltz awkwardly reacts live on air to her This Morning co-star Phillip Schofield’s affair confession

Vanessa Feltz awkwardly reacted to her This Morning co-star Phillip Schofields affair after the news broke live on her radio show.

Phillip, 61, confessed to having the ‘unwise but not illegal’ relationship with a man during his marriage to Stephanie Lowe, and previously denied the affair when asked about it by his agent.

Vanessa, who regularly appears on This Morning alongside Phillip and Holly Willoughby, was presenting her TalkTV show when news of his statement emerged. 

She announced his bombshell affair live on air while chatting to her guest Nigel Pauley, who said: ‘If an agent drops someone and uses the words honesty and integrity, that’s not good’

Vanessa added: ‘They haven’t done anything to harm any members of the public, they’ve just presented a daytime television show, so I feel it’s only right to say that since I truly think that and I know them both and like them both.’

Tense: Vanessa Feltz awkwardly reacted to her This Morning co-star Phillip Schofields affair after the news broke live on her radio show

Confession: Phillip, 61, confessed to having the ‘unwise but not illegal’ relationship with a man during his marriage to Stephanie Lowe, and previously denied the affair when asked about it by his agent

On Friday, Phillip admitted to an affair with a younger male colleague, which he claimed was ‘unwise but not illegal’, in a lengthy statement, in which he also apologised to his wife and family .

The ‘unwise’ relationship took place during his nearly 30-year marriage to his wife Stephanie, 59, and Phillip said he was ‘so very sorry’ for being unfaithful.

Stephanie, who shares two kids Ruby, 27, and Molly, 29, with Phillip, issued a statement when her husband came out as gay in a moving This Morning segment in 2020.

READ MORE: Phillip Schofield ADMITS affair with young This Morning colleague while he was still married: Host met man when he was a teen, lied to cover up ‘on-off’ fling but says it was ‘not illegal’ – and has resigned ALL his ITV jobs including the Soap Awards

Phillip stepped down from his This Morning hosting duties last weekend after more than 20 years on the airwaves before confirming the affair in a statement to the Daily Mail on Friday.

He has also resigned from ITV and will not host the British Soap Awards. He has also been dropped by his agents at YMU ‘with immediate effect’.

In a statement, the former ITV presenter 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 [sic] which they wanted to write about me a few days ago.

‘The first thing I want to say is: I am deeply sorry for having lied to them, and to many others about a relationship that I had with someone working on This Morning.

‘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 a just a friendship.

‘That relationship was unwise, but not illegal. It is now over…

‘I am painfully conscious that I have lied to my employers at ITV, to my colleagues and friends, to my agents, to the media and therefore the public and most importantly of all to my family. I am so very, very sorry, as I am for having been unfaithful to my wife…

‘I am resigning from ITV with immediate effect, expressing my immense gratitude to them for all the amazing opportunities that they have given me.

‘I will reflect on my very bad judgement in both participating in the relationship and then lying about it.’

After his statement, an ITV spokesman said: ‘We are deeply disappointed by the admissions of deceit made tonight by Phillip Schofield.

‘The relationships we have with those we work with are based on trust. Philip made assurances to us which he now acknowledges were untrue and we feel badly let down.

Vanessa, who regularly appears on This Morning alongside Phillip and Holly Willoughby, said: ‘They haven’t done anything to harm any members of the public, they’ve just presented a daytime television show, so I feel it’s only right to say that since I truly think that and I know them both and like them both.’

Admission: Phillip confessed to having an ‘unwise but not illegal’ romance with a man during his marriage to Stephanie Lowe, and previously denied the affair when asked by his agent

‘We accept his resignation from ITV and therefore can confirm that he will not be appearing on ITV as had previously been stated.’

Following his statement, Phillip has also parted company with his management team YMU after 35 years.

Mary Bekhait, the Group CEO of YMU Group, said: ‘Honesty and integrity are core values for YMU’s whole business, defining everything we do. Talent management is a relationship based entirely on trust.

‘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.’

After quitting This Morning last weekend, Phillip had still been set to host the British Soap Awards for a 13th successive year, but he will no longer be doing so after quitting ITV altogether.

The broadcaster has not yet confirmed who will host next Saturday’s event instead of Phillip, 61, but bookies have tipped Joel Dommett as the favourite to take over.

After his announcement, ITV said the British Soap Awards will still take place in Manchester on June 3, with a replacement host to be confirmed ‘in due course’.

An ITV spokesperson said: ‘The British Soap Awards will take place next Saturday as planned, and we will make further announcements in due course.’

Though an official replacement has not yet been confirmed, Joel Dommett is the bookies favourite to take over the hosting gig, followed by Dermot O’Leary.

Host: After quitting This Morning last week, Phillip had still been set to host the British Soap Awards for a 13th successive year, but he will no longer be doing so after quitting ITV 

Bookmakers Coral put The Masked Singer UK host Joel, 37, at 1/2 odds to host the Soap Awards, followed closely by This Morning’s Dermot, 50, at 5/2.

Other presenters in the running are the likes of Bradley Walsh, Alison Hammond and Vernon Kay, according to Coral.

Coral’s John Hill said: ‘Joel Dommett tops our betting to replace Philip Schofield as the host of the 2023 British Soap Awards. ITV are likely to see him as the perfect fit as he is now one of the channel’s most popular presenters.

‘Dermot O’Leary and Vernon Kay are both names which have been well backed, while Mo Giligan could be in the mix following his experience at the Brit Awards.’

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