Caroline Flack's mum criticises ITV over Phillip Schofield

Caroline Flack's parent has criticised ITV implicit its handling of ex-This Morning big Phillip Schofield and says the broadcaster has failed to larn from the decease of her daughter.

Presenters are not ever protected, Christine Flack told BBC Newsnight.

In a BBC interview, Schofield apologised for lying astir his matter and said helium had "lost everything".

ITV says it feels "badly fto down" by Schofield and has insisted it takes its "duty of attraction seriously".

Accusing the broadcaster of treating employees arsenic "commodities", Christine told Newsnight that presenters are "people" but are sometimes "sidelined, not protected".

Christine besides appeared to question ITV's aftercare, saying: "They could person idiosyncratic speaking for him really, whether helium did close oregon wrong.... it's not a bully look really."

Christine's girl Caroline, champion known for fronting ITV's hugely fashionable Love Island, was recovered dormant successful February 2020 astatine the property of 40.

Caroline stood down from hosting Love Island successful December 2019 aft being charged with battle by beating.

A coroner aboriginal ruled she took her ain beingness - a time aft learning that prosecutors were going to property up with the battle complaint aft an incidental involving her fellow Lewis Burton.

Christine believes ITV "haven't learned anything" since the decease of her girl much than 3 years ago.

She told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire: "If my leader didn't instrumentality attraction of me, there'd beryllium each hellhole to pay. And there's not."

Christine said Schofield and his erstwhile person were going done an "awful time" and urged them not to bash "anything silly".

Schofield gave his archetypal interviews this week, aft admitting to lying astir having an matter with a younger antheral colleague.

Asked however helium was, and aft a agelong pause, the TV presenter told the BBC's Amol Rajan: "I deliberation I recognize however Caroline Flack felt."

Christine told the BBC that Schofield "knew Caroline" and erstwhile she died, "he was precise upset".

"I deliberation he's present realising adjacent much what she went through," Christine said. "But until it happens to you, you consciousness bittersweet but you don't understand."

Schofield told the BBC that the fallout successful the media had been "relentless", which Christine said was "exactly" however her girl Caroline had felt.

"Every time she would effort to beryllium a spot stronger, which I should ideate Phillip is [doing]," she said.

The occupation is, she continued: "You get much and much thrown astatine you".

Imploring radical to fto the concern "settle", she said Schofield had "lost his job" and "his world", adding: "I deliberation that's enough. I deliberation that's capable for anybody."

In a statement, ITV said: "The relationships we person with those we enactment with are based connected trust. Phillip made assurances to america and his bureau which helium present acknowledges were untrue and we consciousness severely fto down.

"As a shaper and broadcaster, ITV takes its responsibilities astir work of attraction earnestly and has robust and well-established processes successful spot to enactment the intelligence and carnal wellness of employees and each those we enactment with."

ITV has already ordered an outer reappraisal into its handling of the narration betwixt Schofield and his colleague.

Schofield, who came retired arsenic cheery successful 2020, besides said helium believed homophobia had fuelled the media sum surrounding his extra-marital affair.

He said revelations astir a akin heterosexual narration would person been treated arsenic "nudge nudge, wink wink" but "if it's a cheery relationship, past abruptly it raises eyebrows".

He continued: "People bash find each different charismatic successful antithetic property groups, I mean it does happen... I admit it's the workplace and the history, and I get that - but the information it is truthful monolithic is predominantly homophobia."

If you're affected by immoderate of the issues successful this nonfiction you tin find details of organisations who tin assistance via the BBC Action Line.

The erstwhile This Morning presenter speaks astir his matter and the consequent autumn out, with the BBC's Amol Rajan.