Phillip Schofield is ‘feuding with This Morning co-stars Ruth Langsford and Holly Willoughby’

Phillip Schofield has reportedly been feuding with his This Morning co-stars and the atmosphere behind the scenes has turned ‘toxic’.

The 57-year-old presenter is said to be at the centre of a ‘civil war’ at the ITV programme amid claims his attitude has impacted his professional relationships with his colleagues, including Ruth Langsford and Holly Willoughby.

The Sun alleges eight different ITV presenters have broken their silence about the situation, while the show’s Friday presenter Ruth, 59, has made an official complaint about Phillip.

Explosive claims: Phillip Schofield has reportedly been feuding with his This Morning co-stars and the atmosphere behind the scenes has turned ‘toxic’

Even his close bond with co-host and close friend Holly, 38, is reported to have become strained of late.

However, an ITV spokesperson has strongly refuted the ‘disappointing allegations, saying they are simply ‘malicious gossip’. 

The denial comes after a report stated the situation behind the scenes at This Morning had become ‘toxic’ in recent months, with employees too scared to speak out publicly for fear of backlash.

An ITV source told The Sun: ‘For so long people have been silenced because they are scared for their job. If they speak out publicly about the atmosphere they fear there could be repercussions.’

A insider close to Holly told the paper: ‘It’s true there have been some issues. They’re like brothers and sisters – they have ups and downs but love each other.’ 

Hitting back at the reports, however, a spokesperson for ITV said: ‘It’s deeply disappointing and unfair for Phillip to be the target of this sort of malicious gossip.

Frosty? The 57-year-old presenter's 'attitude' has allegedly impacted his professional relationships with his colleagues, including Ruth Langsford and Holly Willoughby (pictured)

Frosty? The 57-year-old presenter’s ‘attitude’ has allegedly impacted his professional relationships with his colleagues, including Ruth Langsford and Holly Willoughby (pictured) 

Complaint: The Sun alleges eight different ITV presenters have broken their silence about the situation, while the show's Friday presenter Ruth (pictured with husband Eamonn) has made an official complaint about Phillip

Complaint: The Sun alleges eight different ITV presenters have broken their silence about the situation, while the show’s Friday presenter Ruth (pictured with husband Eamonn) has made an official complaint about Phillip

ITV’s statement in full:

An ITV spokesperson said: ‘It’s deeply disappointing and unfair for Phillip to be the target of this sort of malicious gossip. 

‘Phillip is a much respected broadcaster and colleague and this is absolutely not a description of This Morning that we recognise.

‘Holly and Phil are great friends both on and off screen and are popular among viewers and colleagues alike.’ 

Martin Frizell, Editor of This Morning said: ‘I spend hundreds of days a year in their company and what you see is what you get, a genuine friendship from a couple who are both spontaneously funny and professional. 

‘We have the smartest viewers watching telly and believe me they would be the first to notice any issues – they haven’t because there are none.’

 

‘Phillip is a much respected broadcaster and colleague and this is absolutely not a description of This Morning that we recognise.

‘Holly and Phil are great friends both on and off screen and are popular among viewers and colleagues alike.’ 

Martin Frizell, Editor of This Morning said: ‘I spend hundreds of days a year in their company and what you see is what you get, a genuine friendship from a couple who are both spontaneously funny and professional. 

‘We have the smartest viewers watching telly and believe me they would be the first to notice any issues – they haven’t because there are none.’

The reports come after Ruth and her husband Eamonn Holmes were noticeably absent from the This Morning Christmas party.

Also missing from the photo were show regulars Rylan Clark-Neal, Alison Hammond and Gino D’Acampo.  

The This Morning team toasted the festive season with a lavish lunch on Wednesday, which carried on way into the evening.

Presenters Holly and Phil, along with their celeb team including Love Island star Maura Higgins and Rochelle Humes, celebrated at a private dining room in London, tucking into a lavish lunch.

Missing: Holly shared a snap form the This Morning Christmas party on Instagram in which regular Friday hosts Ruth and Eamonn were nowhere to be seen

Missing: Holly shared a snap form the This Morning Christmas party on Instagram in which regular Friday hosts Ruth and Eamonn were nowhere to be seen

This isn’t the first time Phillip’s alleged feuds have hit the headlines, but Amanda Holden is the only star to have spoken publicly about it.

Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda said she believes the TV favourite sabotaged her chances of filling in on This Morning in 2018 while Holly Willoughby hosted I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here.

Reports have long been rife about troubles between the TV hosts, with the latest detail of the story claiming Amanda headed to the top by lobbying ITV executives over the animosity after Phil allegedly pushed for Rochelle Humes to take the job.  

Amanda first worked with Phillip when she stepped into Holly’s shoes when the This Morning star took a year off the show to have her third baby four years ago in October 2014.

A former daytime TV executive told the publication: ‘Phillip actively campaigned for Rochelle, 30, to get the job despite Amanda being more experienced – and having been told privately she’d got the gig.’

An ITV spokesperson said: ‘Presenter line ups on This Morning change regularly and final decisions on these line ups are made by producers and not the presenters. 

Feuding: This isn't the first time Phillip's alleged feuds have hit the headlines, but Amanda Holden is the only star to have spoken publicly about it

Feuding: This isn’t the first time Phillip’s alleged feuds have hit the headlines, but Amanda Holden is the only star to have spoken publicly about it

Far from pals: The This Morning host, 57, has been embroiled in a feud with the BGT judge, 48, for a number of years (pictured together in 2015)

Far from pals: The This Morning host, 57, has been embroiled in a feud with the BGT judge, 48, for a number of years (pictured together in 2015)

'Easier to manage': A former daytime TV executive told the publication: 'Phillip actively campaigned for Rochelle Humes to get the job despite Amanda being more experienced (pictured with Rochelle in November 2018)

‘Easier to manage’: A former daytime TV executive told the publication: ‘Phillip actively campaigned for Rochelle Humes to get the job despite Amanda being more experienced (pictured with Rochelle in November 2018)

‘Phillip Schofield is a much loved broadcaster and part of the ITV family. He is a consummate professional and held in high regard at ITV.

‘Amanda is also held in high regard as a judge on one of our biggest shows.’    

The Sun claimed Amanda confronted Phillip during an advert break when the judge was interviewed by Phil and Holly on This Morning in October, days after Rochelle was confirmed to be stepping in.   

A source told The Sun: ‘She made it clear that she felt very let down. He was lost for words but didn’t have much time to respond to Amanda’s claims because the show was going back on air.

‘Neither of them realised that Amanda could be overheard by most of the team because she was still wearing her mic pack.’ 

When Amanda went public with her claims this summer, Phillip’s celebrity pals have jumped to his defence with supportive messages on social media.

Dancing On Ice champ James Jordan rallied around the host, 57, as he insisted the TV favourite was an ‘absolute pleasure to work with’ during their time on the ITV competition series earlier this year. 

Echoing his comments, skater Matt Evers, 43, added: ’12 series… that 12 years on and off screen. Either on the ice or This Morning and…

‘Never… not once have I seen nor heard a bad thing from you. Your spirit and professionalism has always been at the highest level. #keepthatchinup’, he added.

Sad times: This summer, Phillip spoke out for the first time since 'hurtful and untrue' details of his increasingly acrimonious relationship with Amanda emerged

Sad times: This summer, Phillip spoke out for the first time since ‘hurtful and untrue’ details of his increasingly acrimonious relationship with Amanda emerged 

Sweet comment: Throwing his support behind Phillip, former Strictly pro James, 41, gushed: 'A true professional but always very supportive and caring'

Sweet comment: Throwing his support behind Phillip, former Strictly pro James, 41, gushed: ‘A true professional but always very supportive and caring’

In agreement: Echoing his comments, skater Matt Evers, 43, added: '12 series... that 12 years on and off screen... never... not once have I seen nor heard a bad thing from you'

In agreement: Echoing his comments, skater Matt Evers, 43, added: ’12 series… that 12 years on and off screen… never… not once have I seen nor heard a bad thing from you’

A fan: Perfumer Jo Malone, 55, also praised the award-winning host for maintaining his 'kind' nature at work

A fan: Perfumer Jo Malone, 55, also praised the award-winning host for maintaining his ‘kind’ nature at work 

Perfumer Jo Malone, 55, also praised the award-winning host for maintaining his ‘kind’ nature at work.

Always an absolute gentleman anytime I worked on This Morning. Ignore the hate, be true to yourself and keep on entertaining the masses’, TV presenter James Green also tweeted.

Phillip also responded to the reported, posting to Twitter on Sunday: ‘The end of another really sad weekend. When you try for 35 years to be the easiest, most fun person to work with and you read such hurtful and wildly untrue stories from nameless “sources”.

‘Obviously I’ll take it on the chin. I just hope you know me better’ [sic], the devastated star added.

MailOnline has gone to representatives for all parties for comment. Holly’s representatives declined to comment.

Meanwhile, it was reported this summer that Phillip had reignited his feud with ex co-host Fern Britton months before his current spat with Amanda.

Support: This summer, Phillip's celebrity pals have jumped to his defence with messages on social media

Support: This summer, Phillip’s celebrity pals have jumped to his defence with messages on social media

The dispute occurred last October when Fern, 61, who left the show eight years ago, made it clear she was upset she hasn’t been invited to a special BAFTA ceremony for the show.

As the air turned frosty during the video link, fans soon swarmed Twitter to point out ‘the shade’ shortly before Phillip took to the microblogging site to insist she was in fact invited but declined the offer due to work commitments in Scotland.

The row was resolved after Fern’s representatives revealed she had been invited to the BAFTA’s, but they declined on her behalf.

Fern was recruited as a guest presenter on the show in 1993 although nabbed the role of full-time host on the Friday edition alongside John Leslie, who was later replaced by Phil, who still fronts the show with Holly Willoughby.

After scooping an array of presenting jobs elsewhere, Fern announced in November 2008 that she was taking a break from the show to return two months later – yet in March 2009 she revealed she was permanently leaving the show. 

It was claimed at the time her departure was due to the fact she was ‘sick of living in Phil’s shadow’ while he was paid ‘three times her salary’, before she admitted in a 2013 interview that ‘we’re not in touch now’.

Things sparked up once more, as she claimed she had not been invited to the special BAFTA ceremony held in honour of the show.

Speaking on the episode, she said: ‘Congratulations, on the BAFTA I would have loved to have been there but I didn’t get an invite. I wasn’t on Monday night.’

Later in the day however, Phillip responded, writing: ‘Odd really, because she was invited and declined #memoryloss we’d have loved her to be there. A vital and much loved part of the show’. 

Spat: Phillip and ex co-host Fern Britton (pictured in 2008) reignited their long-running feud months before his current spat with Amanda

Spat: Phillip and ex co-host Fern Britton (pictured in 2008) reignited their long-running feud months before his current spat with Amanda