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Phillip Schofield has been accused of ‘blaming women’ for his downfall.
The presenter, 62, publicly fell out with Holly Willoughby last year after he admitted to an ‘unwise’ affair with a junior colleague.
He has since vented his frustration on his comeback show Cast Away, which aired on Channel 5 last week, in which he took aim at those ‘who betrayed him’ 16 months ago when he quit ITV’s This Morning.
One showbusiness insider told MailOnline: ‘You can see what Phil is doing, he is angry and he is taking his moment in the limelight, slinging more mud while people are interested in him.
‘Phil’s career ended because he lied, he resigned from ITV when he lied about having an affair with a much younger colleague. To say this is Holly’s fault is just ridiculous. Talk about blame the woman.’
‘Self-confessed liar’ Phillip Schofield has been accused of ‘blaming women’ after reigniting his feud with former best friend Holly Willoughby (pictured in May 2023)
Meanwhile, friends of Holly point to the fact that she was entirely vindicated for her falling out with Phillip after it emerged that he had lied about his relationship with a younger colleague.
Holly said last year he had been dishonest with her about the affair, as he had also been to ITV, his agent YMU and his family. He also lied to the Mail about it and admitted the truth in a statement last May.
‘Phil is a self-confessed and proven liar so things he says have to be taken with a pinch of salt,’ a source said: ‘He lied to his colleagues, his employers and the media, let’s not forget that.’
Now the star has been labelled vindictive after texts revealed that he told Holly that she ‘brought him down’ shortly before he resigned from This Morning last year.
Friends of the disgraced presenter say he sent her the accusation in a WhatsApp message and said she should have publicly supported him following their fall out.
He then blamed her for not doing so, saying it then prompted him to stand down after 21 years on the ITV show.
Phillip had asked her for a public show of support such as a statement or picture together in the hope it would halt claims they had fallen out.
The message, which was revealed to the Daily Mirror on Monday has now reignited the pair’s feud which began last spring.
Phillip has vented his frustration on his comeback show Cast Away, which aired on Channel 5 last week, in which he took aim at those ‘who betrayed him’ 16 months ago when he quit ITV
Another factor in their fall out was said to be that Holly was unaware of the full details of his paedophile brother Timothy’s crimes.
While she and ITV were aware of a forthcoming trial last March, Phillip is understood to have not told her the full extent of it.
Following rumours that they had fallen out last May, Phillip left Holly devastated when he made a public statement to discuss their friendship.
He said: ‘The last few weeks haven’t been easy for either of us. As I have said before, Holly is my rock.
‘We’re the best of friends – as always, she is an incredible support on screen, behind the scenes and on the phone.
‘Holly has always been there for me, through thick and thin. And I’ve been there for her.’
Friends of Holly said at the time said she was ‘blindsided’ by his outburst.
Phillip stood down from This Morning days later on May 20.
He said in a statement: ‘I understand that ITV has decided the current situation can’t go on, and I want to do what I can to protect the show that I love.
‘So I have agreed to step down from This Morning with immediate effect, in the hope that the show can move forward to a bright future.’
While he stepped down from This Morning, he was due to present the Soap Awards a week later for ITV and bosses at the network had given him a new prime time show.
He later quit after admitting an affair with his colleague.
Following rumours that they had fallen out last May, Phillip left Holly devastated when he made a public statement to discuss their friendship (pictured May 2023)
