This Morning staff are 'petrified' of telling the truth in wake of Phillip ... trends now
A senior ITV chief reprimanded This Morning editor Martin Frizell for making a bizarre comment about aubergines when a reporter quizzed him about the alleged toxic work environment on the under fire programme.
Sitting before a Department of Culture, Media and Sport select committee today, the broadcaster’s head of strategy, policy and regulation Magnus Brooke said that Mr Frizell’s response to the Sky News journalist was ‘ill-judged.’
The question came after Mr Frizell was asked on Sunday by the journalist if there is a ‘toxic’ work environment at This Morning, to which he replied: ‘I’ll tell you what’s toxic and I’ve always found it toxic. Aubergine. Do you like aubergine? Do you? Do you like aubergine because I don’t like aubergine. It’s just a personal thing.’
Many ITV staff were left outraged at the comments, which came on the eve of Holly Willoughby’s return to the programme after two weeks off amid Phillip Schofield’s departure.
They are now said to be ‘petrified’ of telling the inquiry the truth.
Scottish National Party MP John Nicholson at the Culture, Media and Sport Committee today
Magnus Brooke, ITV 's director of strategy, policy and regulation, was also at the session today
MPs and TV executives at the Culture, Media and Sport Committee hearing this morning
Chair Caroline Dinenage had insisted that the session would be about the Draft Media Bill
And yesterday pressure mounted on Mr Frizell, the husband of former GMTV presenter Fiona Phillips, when MP and former ITV news presenter John Nicolson described him at the hearing as a ‘person responsible for safeguarding young staff’ and that he had been ‘outrageously dismissive and flippant on camera about an immensely serious issue’.
Adding that he would not have liked to have been a young This Morning employee raising bullying with the editor.
Mr Brooke replied: ‘Let me reassure you Mr Nicolson that we take those issues very seriously,’ and when pushed by Mr Nicholson, Mr Brooke added: ‘I wouldn’t endorse what he said, in fact.’
The politician then asked Mr Brooke: ‘You agree it’s bizarre?’ to which a stuttering Mr Brooke said: ‘I wouldn’t use that word.’
Mr Nicholson then said: ‘What word would you use?’ to which Mr Brooke responded: ‘I’d certainly say it was extremely ill-judged to say what he did, but look I can reassure you on behalf of ITV that we do take all of theses allegations very seriously precisely because we do have a culture in which people’s conduct matters enormously to ITV.’
Mr Brooke declined to answer whether Mr Frizell’s job at the channel was safe, adding that the company recently launched an external investigation which is being conducted by Jane Mulcahy KC into what took place behind the scenes of This Morning – which is currently fighting for its life after almost 35 years on air.
He added: ‘If we find bullying… we’d expect people to report it, and we’d expect it to dealt with appropriately, and it will be.’
Mr Brooke also stressed that the channel takes its ‘responsibilities in relation to safeguarding and duty of care very seriously’ and that bullying and harassment at work is ‘unacceptable’.
Mr Nicolson began his questioning with a swipe at Ms Willoughby, 42, by asking Mr Brooke if he was ‘okay.’
The admission came as ITV daytime staff were yesterday invited to a meeting in the Loose Women studios at the network’s West London studios. Head of daytime Emma Gormley, who was Mr Frizell’s deputy when he was the editor of the now defunct breakfast show GMTV, is understood to be taking questions from staff.
One told the Daily Mail: ‘People are angry, they want to know what is going on. Can you imagine going into Martin’s office now to speak up.’
In 2019 Mr Frizell, 64, was the subject of an investigation after a woman employee made a complaint about him. The inquiry which was conducted by another senior member of ITV staff. They found no evidence of her claims.
Holly Willoughby asked viewers on her return This Morning yesterday: 'Firstly, are you OK?'
This Morning editor Martin Frizell arrives at Television Centre in London's White City yesterday
An MP today poked fun at Holly Willoughby's on-air statement on her return to This Morning, asking a senior ITV official at a Commons select committee: 'Are you OK?'.
Scottish National Party MP John Nicholson questioned Magnus Brooke, ITV's director of strategy, policy and regulation, about work culture at This Morning in the hearing.
And Mr Nicholson referenced Willoughby's statement yesterday which saw her begin her first show following Phillip Schofield's exit by asking viewers: 'Firstly, are you OK?'
The MP also criticised This Morning editor Martin Frizell over his 'surreal and bizarre' answer to questions about bullying in which he talked about aubergines. Mr Brooke said the comments were 'ill-judged' and refused to say if the editor's job was safe.
Earlier in the Culture, Media and Sport Committee session, chair Caroline Dinenage had insisted that today would be about the Draft Media Bill - and not This Morning.
She said they would instead wait to discuss issues about Schofield leaving the show when ITV chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall is before MPs next week on June 14.
But Mr Nicholson was keen to focus on Schofield, and told Mr Brooke: 'As the chair has explained, we're going to have the boss of ITV before us very soon to talk about the news story that's dominating at the moment.
'But I think it would be very odd if we had someone very senior like yourself from ITV without asking a couple of questions about the story about This Morning.
'I suppose I should ask first of all - are you OK?'
Appearing startled by the question, Mr Brooke replied: 'Am I OK? Yes, I'm fine thank you.'
Mr Nicholson then continued: 'Good, because I know that's the question du jour at This Morning. I spent some time at the weekend talking to whistleblowers from ITV including people who work and have worked in This Morning.
