It's sofa and out

SCHOFE QUITS THIS MORNING BUT INSISTS ON KEEPING OTHER ROLES

- LAURA ARMSTRONG

PHILLIP Schofield was axed from This Morning after a tense showdown with bosses... in a trade-off which protects his other ITV roles.

The presenter, who has fronted the show for 18 years, had faced intense scrutiny since a bitter rift with co-host Holly Willoughby was made public.

And insiders last night revealed his fate was unanimously decided in meetings at ITV Daytime on Friday.

Bosses then set up a call with Phil's management company YMU in order to break the news.

It is understood Head of Daytime Emma Gormley and Head of Programmes Kevin Lygo then both spoke to 61-year-old Phil.

He agreed to walk away on the basis that conversations about his roles on other shows like Dancing on Ice remain active and he was promised a new show which he will host solo.

STATEMENT

Yesterday after two weeks of on-screen awkwardness and ratings going into free fall - Phil announced in a statement on Instagram that he was stepping down in a bid to "protect the show that I love".

But behind the scenes he moaned to sympathisers he had "been hung out to dry" by Holly and TV chiefs.

Sources say he and Holly, 42, have not spoken since the decision was made, and while she issued a quote paying tribute to her long-term co-star and former best pal, his statement notably made no mention of her.