Morninggate - Merto: This Morning boss skirts around question of ‘toxic work environment’ at ITV show with bizarre response

Story from Merto:

Ahead of Holly Willoughby’s highly-anticipated return to This Morning following Phillip Schofield’s exit, the boss of the show was asked if there was a toxic work environment behind the scenes.

His answer – which was peculiarly food-based – may surprise you.

In light of Schofield’s departure from This Morning after two decades, shortly before he admitted to lying about an affair that he had with a younger runner on the show, there has been much speculation about what it’s like to work on the programme.

In a statement, the 61-year-old recently insisted that there was ‘no toxicity’, as he stated: ‘This Morning IS the best show to work on, with the best people.’

Editor Martin Frizell has previously been questioned about the accusations of a ‘toxic’ workplace, recently saying: ‘Read between the lines. I think there are some scores being settled.’

In his latest comments, he was asked once again whether there was a toxic work environment at This Morning… to which he decided instead to talk about his dislike of aubergines.

‘Do you know what’s toxic, I’ve always found toxic, is aubergine. Do you like aubergine? Do you?’ he asked.

The Sky News reporter asked the question once again, to which he replied: ‘But do you like aubergine? ‘Cause I don’t like aubergine. It’s just a personal thing,’ dodging answering the actual query being put forward to him.

Following Schofield’s exit from This Morning, he said in a statement: ‘Now I no longer work on This Morning I am free to say this. I hope you have noticed that it’s the same handful of people with a grudge against me or the show who seem to have the loudest voice.

‘This Morning IS the best show to work on, with the best people. In all the years I worked there there was no toxicity. You can listen to those persistently loud voices if you like.

‘But the thousands of guests over the years, thousands of staff and crew, hundreds of presenters and contributors all know, it IS a family of wonderful, talented, kind, hard working people.’

A few days prior, he apologised for lying about the affair that he had with a This Morning employee, which is now over, which he had while married to his wife Stephanie Lowe.

Amid claims of toxicity behind the scenes at This Morning, Dr Ranj Singh cryptically claimed in a now-deleted post that he had ‘receipts’.