Morninggate - Daily Mail: This Morning staff faced bullying in wake of Phillip Schofield scandal

Story from Daily Mail:

A 'large number' of ITV's This Morning staff past and present have raised claims of 'toxic working cultures, bullying, discrimination and harassment' to Parliament.

In June, ITV chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall faced a grilling by MPs about former host Phillip Schofield's exit from the show amid allegations the programme was fostering a bullying culture that had been described as toxic.

Shamed presenter Schofield left the show after admitting he had lied about having an affair with a younger colleague.

In correspondence published on Wednesday, Dame Caroline Dinenage, chairman of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, told Dame Carolyn over the past month a large swell of ITV employees had contacted the parliamentary group.

'These individuals speak with great pride about working at ITV and are hugely positive about many of their colleagues. However, they also raise claims of toxic working cultures, bullying, discrimination and harassment,' former Tory culture minister Dame Caroline said.

'However, some of those individuals who have contacted us have described how their decision to raise concerns within ITV has led to further bullying and discrimination, and in some cases having to leave the organisation with a settlement agreement.'

Gosport MP Dame Caroline added it was 'easy to understand' why the individuals left ITV and 'do not wish to relive their traumatic experiences', as well as believing ITV will not take them seriously.

In a response, Dame Carolyn asked the parliamentary committee to 'encourage individuals to contact ITV via our reporting line SafeCall' through which reports can be made confidentially or anonymously.

Alternatively individuals can contact Jane Mulcahy KC who is leading an external review of the facts after Schofield's exit, which is expected to be completed in September, Dame Carolyn said.

She continued: 'As we made clear to you and the committee, we are absolutely committed to enabling people to raise any issues or complaints they may have about working at ITV.

'We always take these seriously and will investigate and take whatever action is appropriate. However, we are unable to do so if we cannot engage with those people.'

In the correspondence, MPs accused ITV managing director Kevin Lygo of being 'inconsistent' in his explanation about who decided 61-year-old Schofield should leave This Morning, after he admitted to an 'unwise but not illegal' affair with a younger male colleague on the show.

In evidence to MPs in June, Mr Lygo suggested Schofield wanted to step down, but a statement on May 20 from the presenter said: 'I understand ITV has decided the current situation can't go on.'

In her response, Dame Carolyn insisted there was 'no inconsistency', writing: 'As made clear, Mr Schofield expressed a desire to leave This Morning but Kevin Lygo was the ultimate arbiter of such issues - following discussions with everyone involved.

Speaking in June, Schofield admitted he was too frightened to go out as he fears he will be spat on in the street following his departure from This Morning.

In an interview with The Sun, the ex-TV personality said: 'I do not know a time I will be able to walk out of the door.

'I don't have any spirit. My friends tell me, "It will get better". It won't. Not now. Not this one. 18-'You watch all these layers of you slide away and slide away and slide away. The things that were dear to you. But I deserve it. It's my fault. I deserve it.'

He added he would not use social media again following the fallout from the affair.

In another interview with the BBC, Mr Schofield claimed his two daughters have saved his life since he quit This Morning, insisting he 'wouldn't be here' if they had not stayed by his side over the past week because he has 'lost everything'.

Mr Schofield told how his two daughters Molly, 29, and Ruby, 27, 'guarded me and won't let me out of their sight', adding that he had felt a 'weird numbness' but admitted: 'I have brought myself down'.

Last week it emerged that Schofield had reduced the asking price of the £1.2million flat he bought with his wife and where he is believed to have had secret trysts with his younger lover.

The 61-year-old decreased the price of the immaculate two-bedroom London penthouse flat with a listing appearing to show the asking price has now been reduced by £85,000.

It comes after Schofield and his estranged wife Stephanie, 59, already reduced the property's asking price by £100,000 in June when they put it at £1.2million - the same amount they paid for it in 2012.

The flat is believed to be where Schofield would take his junior colleague for secret trysts before the affair was revealed to the world in May.

The former presenter resigned from ITV and was dropped by his agency YMU after admitting to an 'unwise, but not illegal' affair with the young male colleague.

The former This Morning star said the affair 'never came across' as an abuse of power because he and his lover were 'mates'.

The flat, which is in a gated development, is said to be in 'very good condition' and the 'perfect setting for entertaining'.