Disgraced former This Morning host Phillip Schofield cut a sombre figure as he walked his pet puppy in west London on Monday as the new show hosts made their debut.
Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard launched the new era of the ITV daytime staple after the pair were unveiled as the new additions last month following weeks of speculation.
The future of the ITV show was plunged into chaos after its star host was forced to resign back in May and Holly Willoughby made her shock departure in October.
‘Sombre’ Schofield Walking His Dog
As the show entered a new chapter, Phillip kept a straight face as he enjoyed a stroll with his new dog.
The former presenter wrapped up in a dark padded jacket with cream fluffy collar as he kept things casual in a pair of denim jeans.
The Infamous Scandal
It comes five months after the broadcaster bowed out of the spotlight following an affair with a much younger man who worked with him on This Morning, which led to his departure after over 20 years on the show.
After much speculation about his private life, his affair finally went public and he admitted he had been left ‘broken and ashamed’ but insisted he was not a groomer.
His Defense Statement
He said the affair ‘never came across’ as an abuse of power because he and his lover were ‘mates’. He told The Sun: ‘I was unprofessional, one time, in a 41-year career. There is no excuse. No one did anything wrong apart from me.’
In his first interview since leaving the broadcaster and This Morning, the presenter said: ‘I did not, I did not [groom him].
‘There are accusations of all sorts of things. It never came across that way because we’d become mates. I don’t know about that. But of course I understand that there will be a massive judgment, but bearing in mind, I have never exercised that.’
It has since emerged he paid his much younger lover to keep quiet about their relationship.
