This Morning: Presenters say 'we love making this show' as Schofield row continues

ITV's This Morning appears to person addressed arguable headlines astir "toxicity" connected the show, with hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary stressing they bask moving connected it.

"We each cognize we hap to beryllium successful the quality astatine the moment... but the full squad here... we emotion making this amusement for each of you," O'Leary said.

Hammond added they "are going to proceed to bash that".

Gyles Brandreth, who was successful the workplace to reappraisal the quality stories of the day, said: "We are precise blessed to beryllium here. Can I accidental that arsenic well?"

He past continued with his theme, saying: "It's really a blessed spot to work. I bask coming successful and person done since I began.

"We're blessed radical successful a blessed spot with immoderate absorbing stories."

Columnist Sonia Sodha, sitting adjacent to him connected the sofa, agreed.

But stories astir what happens down the scenes connected the amusement show nary motion of going away.

The presenters' comments travel aft Dr Ranj Singh, who worked connected This Morning for a decade, criticised the "toxic" civilization astatine the programme, saying the issues "go acold beyond" ex-main presenter Phillip Schofield.

He quit ITV aft admitting helium had an matter with a younger antheral worker and lied to screen it up.

Dr Singh said helium past worked connected This Morning 2 years ago, having recovered himself being utilized "less and less" aft raising concerns astir however radical were treated there.

Writing connected Twitter, Dr Singh said helium "did not cognize the information astir what was going connected with Phillip", but added: "It takes much than 1 idiosyncratic to make a culture."

On Sunday evening, ITV responded saying it was atrocious to work the post. It added that aft a ailment from Dr Ranj determination had been an outer reappraisal which "found nary grounds of bullying oregon discrimination".

On Monday, Schofield posted connected Instagram that determination is "no toxicity" astatine This Morning and added that "it's the aforesaid fistful of radical with a grudge against maine oregon the amusement who look to person the loudest voice".

However Eamonn Holmes, different erstwhile presenter of the amusement and professional of Schofield, tweeted successful response: "Schofield has conscionable enactment retired a delusional statement.

"Like Holly helium puts it connected Insta Stories truthful if it goes incorrect determination is nary grounds aft 24 hrs. I'm reluctant to springiness the liar immoderate much publicity but judge maine Pip if u r looking for a fight, u person picked connected the incorrect person!"

On Friday, Schofield confirmed helium had a narration with an worker portion joined and lied repeatedly to fell it, and said the narration had been "unwise but not illegal".

The broadcaster said it had investigated successful 2020 but recovered nary grounds of the matter beyond "rumour".

Both Schofield and the inferior workfellow had astatine the clip "categorically and repeatedly denied the rumours", ITV added.

On Sunday, lawyers representing Schofield confirmed to the BBC that the brace had met erstwhile the younger workfellow was a 15-year-old boy.

They stressed determination was nary intersexual narration of immoderate quality betwixt Schofield and the idiosyncratic until aft helium had started moving astatine This Morning.

He was 18 by the clip helium joined the programme.

The Mail connected Sunday archetypal reported the brace had met erstwhile the presenter was giving a speech astatine a theatre schoolhouse which the 15-year-old attended.

Schofield aboriginal arranged an interrogation for him astatine ITV earlier helium started there, and "some clip afterwards" the matter began, the insubstantial said.

ITV did not respond to the BBC erstwhile asked astir a study successful the Sunday People that immoderate daytime unit were readying to spell to HR adjacent week to endanger a wide walkout implicit a bid of "ignored complaints".

Schofield announced connected 20 May helium was quitting This Morning aft reports of a rift with co-star Holly Willoughby. Schofield has insisted his departure was unrelated to the affair.

Willoughby said connected Saturday it was "very hurtful" to observe her erstwhile co-host had lied to her astir his affair. "When reports of this narration archetypal surfaced, I asked Phil straight if this was existent and was told it was not," she said.

Willoughby is connected an "extended half-term break" until 5 June.

On Sunday, erstwhile civilization caput Nadine Dorries said ITV had questions to answer.

She told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme determination appeared to beryllium an knowing that everything would determination connected pursuing Schofield's "grovelling apology".

"It's not the case, I'm afraid, due to the fact that what it does is inquire questions astir what happened.

"We cognize determination were complaints lodged with ITV implicit a agelong play of clip - what happened to those complaints?"

She continued: "And however did that young lad get a occupation astatine ITV - what were the processes that were progressive and what were the safeguarding processes that were successful spot for idiosyncratic who was truthful young astatine that age?"

Responding to Ms Dorries' notation to the worker arsenic "young" an ITV spokesperson said: "We bash not employment anyone nether 18 for paid enactment connected accumulation astatine This Morning oregon so ITV."