This Morning boss to step down after ten years in charge and Phillip Schofield scandal
THIS Morning boss Martin Frizell is stepping down from the ITV show after ten years in charge and the Phillip Schofield scandal.
His shock announcement comes just 16 months after his wife Fiona Phillips, 63, revealed her Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
Martin, 65, joined the channel in 2014 as editor of Loose Women before taking up his decade long tenure as This Morning editor, which he will leave in Spring 2025.
While he still has a couple of months left in the job, The Sun understands ITV staffers have been left blindsided by the move since there isn’t even a replacement ready to be ushered in.
A source said: “It’s a real shock to everyone on the show – he’s been working there for so long.
“Nobody saw it coming at all. As far as everyone knows they have nobody lined up to replace him either.”
This Morning, now in its 37th year, is one of the UK’s longest running programmes and Martin is the show’s longest serving editor.
In his announcement, he said: “Next year I’m expecting my family priorities to change so I need to free up time for them.
“I love my team at ITV and will miss them and the thrill of live telly but it’s an always on, 24 hours a day, seven days a week commitment and I won’t be able to do both.
“It’s been a privilege to lead truly great presenters and producers, between us we’ve turned out more than six thousand hours of live topical telly, that’s around 20,000 items and whilst the gongs are always nice.
“I’m most proud of the change we made to so many lives, even saving a fair few with our campaigns on anti suicide, menopause, testicular cancer and ‘how – to’ items.
“This juggernaut is the toughest test for any broadcast journalist.”
Kevin Lygo, Managing Director, Media and Entertainment added: “This Morning is an iconic show in ITV’s schedule, and heading the team for a decade, producing more than ten hours of original, topical, live television every week is an amazing achievement.
“As a programme and a brand, Martin has made sure the show continues to be a household name, an award-winning staple of the schedule with a growing successful presence in digital and social.
“On behalf of the ITV Network, we thank Martin and wish him the very best for his future ventures.”
Emma Gormley, Managing Director, ITV Studios Daytime, said: “Martin has brought so much success to This Morning over the last decade which has seen an evolving landscape of changing and diversifying viewing habits.
“Under Martin, This Morning is now one of the nation’s most engaged formats, on both ITV and social platforms, hitting an amazing 1 billion views across this year alone; an incredible legacy.
“I am proud of the brilliance and energy that he has brought to his role as custodian of this iconic brand.
“Martin’s decade-long contribution to the longevity and good health of our flagship show has been remarkable, and he leaves it in a place where it can continue to thrive into the next decade and beyond.”
ITV says Martin’s successor will be announced in due course.
Illustrious career
The Glasgow-native has an illustrious career under his belt as a journalist, TV producer and editor.
He climbed the ranks to success with his wife and fellow small screen star Fiona by his side.
Martin began his professional career as a researcher for the BBC before moving on to generating content for other major TV networks.
As well as his TV triumphs, he’s a writer and journalist, his work has appeared in The Sun, The Daily Mail and The Mirror.
He was acknowledged for his work in TV by being given the Royal Television Society Fellowship in 2016.
In the past, Martin worked as a correspondent for Thomson Reuters and GMTV for seven years according to his LinkedIn.
Martin was also the editor of GMTV for 10 years before his shocking exit.
Regarding the choice to leave, he said: “ITV‘s merger with GMTV seems like a natural point for my chapter with Britain’s best breakfast show to close and a new one to start.”
After leaving GMTV, he worked as the UK correspondent for the Australian breakfast show Channel 7 Sunrise.
Who will replace Martin?
WITH the ITV boss leaving after ten years in charge, insiders say Vivek Sharma could be in line to replace Martin Frizell on This Morning.
Vivek joined This Morning as a deputy editor in 2016 – previously working his way up the ranks at ITV as an editor at Loose Women then an assistant editor at Good Morning Britain.
In 2020, he left ITV to work as an executive editor on the launch of Steph’s Packed Lunch, then moved to News UK’s TalkTV in early 2022. He returned to This Morning in November last year as an associate editor.
A TV insider tells The Sun: “He’s a very familiar face at ITV and all the bosses love him – he’s who everyone that works there thinks will land the job.”
Martin also made a brief foray into the world of PR as an executive producer at GolinHarris.
His time there was short as he took the job as the editor of the longest running all female panel show, Loose Women before moving to This Morning.
Mr Fiona Phillips
Martin married broadcaster Fiona in May 1997.
The couple share two sons, Nathaniel and Mackenzie.
Last July, the mum-of-two revealed she had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at the age of 62.
The TV star, who had been suffering with brain fog for months prior to the diagnosis, said she is “heartbroken” at having the same condition that has plagued her family.
The cruel blow, which Fiona has been secretly living with for 18 months, has come earlier in life than Fiona had anticipated.
She continued: “It’s something I might have thought I’d get at 80. But I was still only 61 years old.”
Martin is said to have remained by her side for support following the shock Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
Phil fallout
The industry titan faced Phillip’s wrath just last month when he was revealed as one of the fallen star’s “three s**ts of showbiz” – along with ITV’s Emma.
The ex-presenter lashed out at an unnamed trio in his television comeback on Channel 5’s Cast Away.
Phil’s friends wanted to set the record straight on what he could not say on air — including outing the three people he blames for ending his television career.
They said he believes Holly and their This Morning boss Martin staged an “organised coup” to get him sacked after the jailing of his paedophile brother Timothy.
Phil now brands Holly — once one of his closest friends — as “the witch” who he accused directly of “bringing me down”.
He even uses a hatted hag’s emoji when discussing her with pals if she comes up.
Pals said he also accuses Emma, ITV’s managing director of daytime, of treating him “unfairly” over his departure in May 2023.
A friend said: “Phil’s three s**ts are Holly, Martin and Emma.
“He dislikes Holly so much now he calls her ‘the witch’ when talking about her and sends the emoji to his mates if she comes up.
“Phil believes Holly, Martin and Emma were the reason he was booted from ITV and he thinks they treated him unfairly.
“He messaged Holly and told her, ‘You brought me down.’ He was furious, and still is.”
His pals also claimed Phil begged Martin not to send him and Holly to see the Queen’s coffin for This Morning, which backfired with the disastrous “queue-gate” furore.
Schofield Scandal Timeline
2017: Phillip Scofield and the runner share “a consensual moment” in his dressing room
April 17, 2023: Schofield returns to This Morning after his brother Tim’s sex-abuse conviction – but Holly is missing.
May 10: The Sun exclusively reveals Schofield and Holly are barely talking after insiders said their relationship had “cooled”
May 11: Schofield breaks his silence and dubs Holly his “rock” in a bid to mend their broken relationship.
May 15: The daytime TV pair are said to be “feuding” – after their on-screen chemistry seems off.
May 20: Phillip announces he would be stepping back from his role on This Morning
May 21: Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond replace the pair on This Morning
May 22: The pair pay tribute to Schofield on air – branding him “one of the best live TV broadcasters”
May 26: Schofield admits to having an affair with “much younger man” – and announces he’s stepping down from ITV
May 27: ITV says it investigated “rumours of a relationship” between Schofield and a younger employee – but the pair “repeatedly denied” the affair. Then, Holly also accuses Schofield of lying to her about the affair
May 28: Former This Morning resident doctor Ranj Singh claims “the issues with This Morning go far beyond” Schofield
May 29: Minutes before This Morning begins, Schofield hits out at “the same handful of people with a grudge against me or the show” – seeing former colleague Eamonn Holmes hit back
May 30: Phillip Schofield is axed as ambassador for Prince’s Trust. Separately, it emerges that ITV bosses are due to appear before the culture, media and sports committee
May 31: It’s revealed Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary are to be quizzed along with Holly Willoughby and the rest of the show’s presenting roster
June 1: Schofield exclusively tells The Sun he feels “utterly broken and ashamed” by the affair
June 6: On her return to the This Morning sofa after two weeks away, Willoughby told viewers she had been left feeling “shaken, troubled, let down” following revelations over Schofield’s affair, leading to his departure. ITV director grilled over Phillip Schofield row and gets mocked by MP who quotes Holly and asks ‘are you ok?’
October 10: Holly Willoughby quits This Morning, she says, “for me and my family”
December 7: ITV review is released – reveals just one other person knew about the affair
Those close to Phil told us swathes of footage from Cast Away had to be left out as it was deemed too explosive, most notably about Holly.
In the three-parter, Phil claimed he was sacked because of bad publicity around his brother, jailed for 12 years in May last year for sexual offences involving a child.
It was in stark contrast to how his departure played out publicly, with Phil releasing a statement saying he was stepping down after an “unwise but not illegal” affair with a younger show runner.
Phil now believes his fate was sealed when Holly began to distance herself from him for the sake of “her brand”.
Holly has never publicly spoken about Timothy’s crimes but in messages seen after his arrest she told Phil of her shock and said it was “hard to believe”.
A friend said: “Phil feels that he was sacked because of the bad press around his brother. Everyone knew about Tim’s arrest — including Holly.
“They had a backstage make-up room called The Sanctuary at This Morning, where Phil first assembled trusted pals including Holly and told them, tearfully, about his brother. Holly held his hand and was super-kind.
“But Phil feels she distanced herself from it publicly because it was bad for her brand. But she supported Phil and was disgusted by what his brother had done.”
The rift between them spiralled, with Phil later admitting he had lied to Holly about his affair with a younger male colleague.
Phil feels that he was sacked because of the bad press around his brother. Everyone knew about Tim’s arrest — including Holly
A friend
Pals revealed that Phil was hurt when Holly cut him off, especially after the help he had given her with work. One said: “He feels so betrayed by Holly still.
“As far as he’s concerned he made her career at This Morning. And he got her the I’m A Celebrity hosting job by texting his best pal Dec and saying, ‘Holly would be perfect for this’.
“Once, Holly’s husband Dan Baldwin even confronted him about giving Holly more airtime on This Morning — which naturally Phil did.
He agreed, formally, to let her have a question and then him — even if she then missed a good follow-up. When he once broke the rule and chipped in she rolled her eyes — that bit was reported at the time as viewers noticed.
“In Phil’s eyes, Holly repaid his kindness by knifing him. He lied to her and apologised, but she dropped him, despite everything they had been through.
“He’ll never get over what he feels is a betrayal.”
Phil didn’t even want to go to Westminster. He foresaw it would backfire and it did. He wanted to watch the procession from the bottom of his drive at home
A friend
In September 2022, Holly and Phil were heavily criticised for apparently jumping the queue to see the late Queen lying in state at Westminster Hall.
However, The Sun can reveal Phil pleaded with This Morning editor Martin to cancel the segment.
In messages two days before filming, he warned him it would have the “wrong tone” and that he wanted to “remain outside”.
Phil later asked Martin to rethink, calling the plan “ill-conceived”.
A friend added: “Phil didn’t even want to go to Westminster. He foresaw it would backfire and it did. He wanted to watch the procession from the bottom of his drive at home.
“They never actually jumped the queue and when they had to read a statement explaining that, it was even more galling for Phil because Holly was given the most lines.
“Phil predicted it would be perceived badly and he was right.”
His ITV departure was portrayed as a resignation, with Phil confessing about his affair.
But on Cast Away he said: “I was fired for the bad publicity, for someone else’s crime.”
His anger is evident in messages seen by The Sun between Phil and ITV top boss Kevin Lygo following his exit.
A friend said: “Phil told Kevin in no uncertain terms that he believed Holly and Martin wanted him gone. He texted Kevin and told him he believed his sacking was an ‘organised coup’.”
One pal added: “As for Emma, Phil believes she treated him unfairly.”