Comment The Schofield secret — a scandal in the workplace?

Livvy Mason-Myhill, Editor-in-Chief, assesses whether Phillip Schofield’s resignation was justified

PHILLIP Schofield has acknowledged having had an affair with a co-worker, who was purportedly eighteen at the time, during his previous marriage. Even though this younger ITV employee was of consenting age, Schofield’s admission of repeated lying to deny the affair casts suspicion on his character as an influential ITV TV presenter. Schofield chose not to mention the identity of the person in question. ITV executives and the staff of the show are allegedly outraged by the news and shocked by Schofield’s behaviour and his dishonesty throughout the process. Since then, Schofield has resigned from his position as co-host of This Morning. Schofield’s hosting responsibilities for the upcoming British Soap Awards have also been cancelled, as a result of his departure from his position at ITV. Subsequently, Schofield has additionally been dropped by his agency YMU and has fallen out with his co-host, Holly Willoughby. his admission of repeated lying... casts suspicion on his character as an influential ITV TV presenter

The findings, according to some former ITV daytime stars, prompted concerns about how much the network’s administrators knew. A representative for ITV stated: “Further to our statement last night, ITV can confirm that when rumours of a relationship between Phillip Schofield and an employee of ITV first began to circulate in early 2020, ITV investigated.”

In light of this, members of the public are questioning whether Schofield’s resignation, after 21 years working on This Morning, is deserved. Since his affair was revealed, Schofield has been the subject of dozens of national tabloid news stories. Some members of the public may criticise the media’s treatment of Schofield, as he himself compared his treatment to how Caroline Flack felt, suggesting: “How much do you want a man to take — and are you truly only happy when he’s dead? This is how Caroline Flack felt and it didn’t stop.” Yet, many will agree that his resignation was a justified action, especially within the context of the rumoured grooming of the ITV showrunner with whom he allegedly had the affair. Online rumours have also circulated that the runner and Schofield had been friends since the former was 11 years old, when he was a member of a community theatre group that Phillip supported. The fact that neither party has validated this information should be noted, however. This inappropriate relationship has disgusted and shocked many audience members, who are consequently questioning whether there was an abuse of power within the affair and why it was kept a secret. Most of the public will be glad to hear that following this scandal that has tarnished the once clean-cut image of This Morning, the broadcaster is currently undergoing an outside assessment of how it handled the situation, after facing questions over whether a 2020 inquiry into the affair went far enough. Ultimately, with a public service broadcasting mandate in mind, what has come to light about Schofield raises questions about the accountability of ITV executives. Moreover, many organisations have failed in their duty of care by turning a blind eye to inappropriate relationships involving vulnerable young people.

On an overheating planet, must we sacrifice flying?

Amy Rushton, Online Comment Editor, considers the ethical dilemma posed by summer holidays

WITH summer around the corner, many Britons are preparing for the prospect of holidays abroad to uncover different cultures, explore new environments, and embrace sunnier weather. However, while they tan, their predominant form of transport — flying — wreaks havoc on the environment.

In 2018, commercial flights contributed 2.4 per cent of global CO2 emissions from fossil fuels, an increase of 32 per cent from 2013. Whilst flight numbers took a dip in the pandemic, they have since climbed back to previous levels, with the Department of Transport finding around half of Brits fly each year. Under the constant threat of climate catastrophe, this means flying has become unsustainable and, by extension, so has the traditional holiday abroad.

In recent years many have sacrificed their trip abroad for a more sustainable ‘staycation’, opting to travel in the UK or else forgo a trip entirely and enjoy time spent at home. Certainly, this has clear benefits for the environment.

Environmental catastrophe inevitably causes disproportionate harm to the poor, with the impact of climate change more keenly felt in developing countries. This makes holidaying an activity performed by the rich, at the expense of the majority of the world’s population. Instead, domestic travel ensures more environmentally conscious means of transport, such as train or bus, can be used. As flying contributes more to global warming than any other form of transport, a dramatic reduction in long-haul flights would help cut global emissions. Given the ever-looming threat posed to the planet, such sacrifices are becoming increasingly necessary.

Whilst ‘staycations’ rarely offer the same excitement as trips abroad, staying at home doesn’t have to mean giving up fun. The advantages of domestic travel allow for exploring new parts of the country and boosting local tourism industries. The case for giving up flying is clear; it contributes more to individual carbon footprints than almost anything else.

However, ‘staycations’ are not enough to truly tackle the damage done by flying. The harm caused per person by flying commercial airlines is immense, but pales in comparison to that caused by private jets and frequent flyers. Celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Taylor Swift contribute more to global emissions through their private jet usage than the average person on a summer holiday ever could. This is even more pertinent for billionaires and mass corporations. Ordinary people can try to be as ethical as they can but ultimately, sacrificing a summer holiday cannot counteract the damage done by the super-rich.

Celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Taylor Swift contribute more to global emissions through their private jet usage

Whilst this seems pessimistic, it doesn’t make individual action worthless. Giving up flying is an important step which has a genuine impact, but pushing for climate action requires bigger sacrifices than a staycation. Ultimately, we should focus less on critiquing ordinary people and instead fight for the policies and institutional reform which could drive real change.