Phillip Schofield reignites his feud with Eamonn Holmes

Phillip Schofield has reportedly reignited his feud with arch-rival Eamonn Holmes, after the presenter hit out at an ex-colleague who 'threw him under the bus.'

Eamonn has openly shared his dislike of the star, with the pair's warring words sparking a feud that's been dubbed one of the biggest in showbusiness. 

Now, a source close to Phillip has shared his feelings on his former ITV colleague well-known, branding him 'petty and bitter.'

During his Channel 5 series Cast Away, Phillip slammed an ITV colleague who 'threw him under the bus,' and a source has now told The Sun that he was referring to Eamonn.

A pal of the star also accused Eamonn of making jokes about Phillip's homosexuality, after he publicly came out as gay in 2020.

They said said: 'Phil knows Eamonn hates him and says it's because he never texted him to say he was sorry to see him leaving. 

'He thinks Eamonn is petty and bitter – and took great delight in being involved in Phil ''coming out''.

'Phil recalled how Eamonn made jokes about Phil being gay. He also told us Holly was furious with Eamonn that day because he told her that he would 'take over the interview' if she became too emotional. Phil said he'd never seen Holly so angry.' 

A source went onto claim that Phil also found it amusing that Eamonn's recent marital woes hit the headlines, after he had slammed Phillip multiple times on his GB News Show.

They added that Eamonn attempted a phone-in for viewers on GB News viewers, asking them to 'call in if they'd had an affair with Phillip,' and 'not one person got in touch.' 

Over the weekend, a source close to Eamonn revealed that his dislike for Phillip became so severe that he has no regrets about his outbursts sparking issues at the end of his marriage to wife Ruth Langsford.

A source close to the star said he stands firm in his outspoken rants about Phillip which we can reveal left his wife Ruth dismayed towards the end of their marriage.

Ruth is still a regular star on fellow ITV favourite Loose Women, and a source said she felt awkward that her spouse was speaking out about the channel and how he felt betrayed by them.

She and Eamonn announced their split in May after 14 years of marriage after work commitments 'took their marriage in different directions,' and he has since been pictured while on holiday with girlfriend Katie Alexander.

Read More

EXCLUSIVE
Why Eamonn Holmes and Phillip Schofield loathe each other

A source told MailOnline: 'Eamonn's dislike for Phillip existed for a long time, but it became very public at the end of his marriage to Ruth. And as his hatred for him and ITV grew, the cracks in their relationship grew deeper.

'Ruth became a bit dismayed at Eamonn for making repeated digs at ITV after they were axed from This Morning.

'Ruth wasn’t over the moon about it . But given she was still a cemented member of the Loose Women family, it made things somewhat awkward for her to have Eamonn criticising ITV.

'But Eamonn loathes Phillip and has no regrets about what he said and certainly doesn’t think he threw him under the bus. 

'He doesn't regret any of his behaviour; he believes he's addicted to fame, and he can't believe he's attempted to relaunch himself with his documentary this week.

'Eamonn is trying to move on with his life, and has no plans to ever make it up with Philip.'

Eamonn declined to comment when contacted by MailOnline.

But a source close to the presenter said it would be wrong to suggest his comments about Philip or ITV had anything to do with his marriage breaking down.

In November 2021, Eamonn and Ruth were controversially axed from This Morning after 15 years and replaced on the Friday show by Dermot O'Leary and Alison Hammond.

Eamonn was particularly aggrieved about being let go by ITV, claiming he was never given an accurate reason.

His culling was made even more frustrating by his belief Phillip had been given unwavering support by ITV, despite his behaviour off set, a belief shared by Phillip's former co-host Fern Britton and Amanda Holden, who briefly hosted This Morning alongside him in 2015, while Holly was on maternity leave.

The incident confirmed Eamonn's belief that Phillip had constantly been feted despite his poor behaviour behind the scenes, sources claimed.

 Last week, Eamonn furiously hit out at Phillip ahead of his TV comeback, saying he is 'very proud to have thrown him under the bus'.

While discussing Phillip's much-criticised television comeback on Channel 5 show Cast Away, Eamonn made his feelings clear. 

As co-host Isobel Webster revealed on Monday's GB News Breakfast that Schofield claimed he was 'thrown under the bus', Holmes was quick to reply: 'Well if I'm one of the people who threw him under the bus I'm very proud to have done it... 

'This man is addicted to fame, absolutely addicted to fame.' 

Holmes - who has made no secret of the fact he dislikes Schofield -  later added that Schofield 'deserves to be in exile'. 

Rumours about animosity between Phillip and Eamonn had circulated for months, with the pair known to one another for about three ­decades.

While Holmes hosted GMTV, Schofield presented This Morning before Holmes joined him on the ­daytime show in 2006.

In a bid to keep the peace on the much-loved ITV daytime programme, Holmes and Schofield had tried to keep their mutual resentment to themselves. 

When Phillip came out as gay live on This Morning back in February 2020, Eamonn was a picture of moral support – even though sources say he was ­furious about being forced to back the man he so disliked.

Read More

All the signs Phillip Schofield will NEVER return to TV again after controversial stint on Cast Away

Nowdays, both have given up on such pretences. They openly despise one another so much that 'they would cross the road to avoid having to even look at each other', according to a source who spoke to The Daily Mail.

'It's usually women who fall out in showbusiness but Eamonn and Phil's is by far the bitchiest, most vicious fallout in television.

'They hate one another. Eamonn cannot stand Phil, and while he never used to talk about it, now he just doesn't care. He thinks Phil is a disgrace and a liar.

'Phil keeps quiet about it all but the feeling is mutual.'

The pair's feud began with an incident involving Holmes's former wife Ruth Langsford. 

In 2019, she filed an official complaint against Schofield after she was cut off mid-sentence by the presenter as she was explaining what was coming up on her ­segment of This Morning.

Phillip said live on air at the time: 'Guys, we're going to have to jump in there and stop you I'm afraid because we're a bit tight for time at this end. Thank you, Ruth.'

Unimpressed, Ruth responded: 'Well, I only had about two more words to say,' and slammed down her pen in fury. Schofield then wrote about the exchange in his 2020 autobiography Life's What You Make It.

Eamonn was particularly riled since he had made the effort to appear supportive of Schofield coming out on national TV. 

After being told by ITV bosses about Schofield's announcement when he and Langsford arrived at work that morning back in February 2020, he was seen embracing Schofield.

'Eamonn felt very used by Phil for the coming out scenes,' said one insider. 'He and Ruth were told that they had to be there and it all looked like they were best friends 

'Eagle-eyed viewers at the time said that it was fake; now we know it was. Eamonn despises ­Schofield and has for a very, very long time.'

The anger only increased after Holmes departed ITV. And the moment Schofield admitted his affair with the young man, referred to as Person X by ITV chiefs, he unleashed his fury.

It's thought that Eamonn and Ruth were particularly aggrieved at how Schofield treated his young This Morning colleague, whom he had an affair with behind his own wife's back. 

Ruth knew the young man particularly well as he had later moved to Loose Women (on which she was a presenter).

'Eamonn took a dim view of it all,' said a source close to him. 'He knew nothing of the relationship and felt lied to, like many of ­Schofield's other colleagues. That was it for Eamonn. He just couldn't keep quiet about it any more.'

Speaking about the young man in an interview on GB News after Schofield's confession, Holmes said: 'Ruth and I particularly looked after him. 

'He never once talked to us about any relationship, but we knew he was in a bad way fragilely. There's an incredible duty of care that needs to go towards that young man.'

During the same chat, he let rip at Phillip, saying that he 'created an atmosphere where people hated him... he didn't look at anybody. He is a complete and utter dyed-in-the-wool narcissist.'

Friends of Schofield say that he was 'very upset' by the interview and said that it contributed to his already fragile state of mind in the aftermath of him quitting ITV after admitting his affair.'

It comes after it was reported that Phillip also reported his former TV best friend and co-host Holly Willoughby to ITV chiefs after she refused to publicly back him. 

Friends of the disgraced presenter say that he felt Holly and a This Morning boss had staged a 'very well constructed coup' as the country witnessed his dramatic fall from grace.

Schofield left This Morning last May following months of speculation about a breakdown in his relationship with Ms Willoughby. He then admitted to having an affair with a junior colleague and left ITV altogether.

The pair used to be best friends, with their families even taking annual holidays together, but the bitter feud appears to have been reignited with Schofield now referring to his once close pal as 'the witch'.

Read More

Phillip Schofield's shock text he sent to Holly Willoughby amid his career downfall is 'REVEALED'

Schofield is said to have told Holly that she 'brought him down' before he resigned from This Morning.

The Daily Mirror reported that Schofield sent 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.

Schofield, who made a TV comeback last week on Channel 5's Cast Away, 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.

After he sent the WhatsApp, Ms Willoughby reportedly replied that she was in the dark about what was going on. 

But friends of Schofield say he was so upset that he reported Ms Willoughby to two senior ITV bosses. MailOnline has contacted ITV for comment.

A source told The Mirror: 'Phillip considered her a friend, his TV sister as he called her, and always backed her, even recommending her to do the jungle. Her lack of public support was a low blow in his eyes.'

Schofield and his management were also said to be deeply suspicious of her PR team and were unhappy that they weren't correcting 'false narratives running riot'. 

Another factor in their fall out was said to be that Ms Willoughby 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, Schofield is understood to have not told her the full extent of it.

One showbusiness insider said: '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.'

Friends of Ms Willoughby point to the fact that she was entirely vindicated for her falling out with Schofield after it emerged that he had lied about his relationship with a younger colleague.

Ms Willoughby 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 to us 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.'