THIS MOURNING

SHOW FACING AXE AS HOLLY TELLS OF HURT

- LAURA ARMSTRONG

THIS Morning faces the axe in the wake of the Phillip Schofield scandal.

ITV's chief is said to believe it has been "tarnished beyond repair" after he admitted he lied about a relationship with a younger male colleague.

And Holly Willoughby last night blasted her former co-host, claiming he lied to her when she confronted him about the rumours.

The 42-year-old, thought to be on holiday in the Algarve, wrote: "It has taken some time to process yesterday's news. When reports of this relationship first surfaced, I asked Phil directly if this was true and was told it was not. It's been very hurtful to now find out that this was a lie."

It comes after ITV bosses insisted in a statement they had probed reports of a relationship between Schofield, 61, and an ex-colleague in his 20s but were lied to by both.

They also said multiple staff members failed to provide evidence of the affair "beyond hearsay and rumour". So they took no further action. Now, well-placed sources behind the scenes say ITV chief executive Carolyn McCall's job could be under threat.

This Morning editor Martin Frizell, a former close ally of Schofield, is also under scrutiny, as are head of Daytime Emma Gormley and director of television Kevin Lygo.