Eamonn Holmes became visibly frustrated on Tuesday while discussing the fallout from former colleague Phillip Schofield’s return to mainstream TV.
Schofield has split opinion among Channel 5 viewers with his new three-part series Cast Away, filmed on a remote island in the Indian Ocean.
It marks his first TV project since his departure from ITV over 16 months ago after admitting to an affair with a young male runner on This Morning.
During a discussion about his TV return on GB News with co-host Isabel Webster, Holmes reacted angrily when Webster pointed out that Schofield “hadn’t done anything illegal” regarding the affair.
He fired back: “Why is that even relevant? He met the boy when he was 15, so why do you keep on pushing that?”
Holmes, who has been openly critical of his former co-star, has admitted feeling “very proud to have thrown him under the bus”.
Webster responded: “It’s a fact, I’m sticking with the facts. He has not been convicted of any crime.”
The Northern Irish presenter then claimed Schofield is “addicted to fame”, adding that the presenter “deserved” his time away from the public eye.
The controversy began when it was revealed that Schofield met his lover, then just 15, at a theatre school talk, as reported by The Mail on Sunday.
The young man approached Schofield for a job, and he later arranged an interview, eventually leading to a role as an ITV production assistant once he turned 18. Their affair began several years later.
Phillip Schofield says ‘disaster has struck’ as wind destroys tent in Cast Away
While filming Cast Away, Schofield referred to himself as “the shamed, disgraced Phillip Schofield, who had an affair”.
The former Dancing On Ice host said: “Strangely, I think another TV presenter or two might have done exactly the same thing.
“Difference is heterosexual. It’s not an unusual thing in the gay world for there to be a difference in age groups.
“That’s not that unusual in the straight world, but if that had been the case with me and it had been a woman. Pat on the back. Well done, mate.”
Schofield admitted to a secret affair with a younger male colleague at ITV but has strongly denied any accusations of grooming.
The 64-year-old presenter denied being “forced out” of the network and expressed deep regret, saying he was “so very, very sorry” for lying to ITV, his colleagues, wife, and friends.
An external review by Jane Mulcahy KC, conducted on behalf of ITV, concluded that the channel made “considerable efforts” in 2019 to investigate rumours of an affair between Schofield and a production runner but found no concrete evidence to substantiate the claims.
At the conclusion of the Channel 5 show, Schofield admitted he was unsure about returning to presenting.
With tears welling up, he said: “I’m not saying I’m done, but I know I’ll never go back to daytime television. I’ve lived a hundred TV lives.”
The episode ended with an emotional moment as Schofield reunited with his daughter Molly, 31, and their dog. Molly expressed her support, saying she was “proud to say he’s my dad.”
Phillip Schofield: Cast Away airs for three nights from Monday, September 30, at 9pm on Channel 5, and is available to stream on My5.