I worked on ‘toxic’ This Morning – hearing theme tune gives me cold sweats & I used to wish a bus would hit me on way in
A FORMER This Morning staffer has claimed she was so badly treated on the show her body breaks into a cold sweat every time she hears its theme tune.
The anonymous ex-worker, who spent six years on the show, said she used to “wish I would get run over by a bus on my walk from the office to the studio”.
Phillip Schofield was axed from This Morning last month after backlash over an affair he had with a runner “got too loud”, Phillip said in an exclusive interview with The Sun.
A former This Morning worker has now claimed she was handed a payout and forced to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) 15 years ago over bullying allegations, according to the Daily Mail.
She added: “I worked there for six years. Fifteen years on, I still can’t watch the show, and even hearing the theme tune, it brings me out in a cold sweat.
“I won’t go into details, but my healing from years of hell – when I used to wish I would get run over by a bus on my walk from the office to the studio – starts and ends here with this simple acknowledgement that signing an NDA to cover up toxicity is not OK.”
Another former worker, a man in his 20s, said Phillip’s claims “we’re all one big happy family” are “a lot of bulls***”.
“I was belittled and unsupported,” he added, claiming his producer was a “bully”.
He said he didn’t fit in because he was from the North-West.
Another former member of staff, who left in 2019, said there was a “climate of fear”.
“I also overheard what I found to be sexist comments,” she added.
It comes as it was revealed Holly Willoughby will address the Schofield scandal on Monday as she returns to presenting duties.
A TV source said the host has personally prepared a statement because she wants to tell viewers how difficult it has been for everyone behind the scenes on the show.
Holly took a week off when Phillip initially announced he was leaving the hit daytime programme, before then jetting to Portugal with her sister, parents and family for another week.
Colleagues are said to be sympathetic towards Holly and will try to make her return to work as smooth as possible.
A TV source said: “Holly wants to address Phillip’s recent admissions about his affair.
“She will be honest and open, mentioning him by name. She’s not shying away from the tricky subject as she wants to show up for the viewers and loyal fans.”
Staff have removed pictures of Phillip from the ITV corridors to signify a new era — but not as a snub to him, it is claimed.
In another move, phone-ins involving the public will be heavily vetted by production staff to filter out any attempted viewer outbursts over the scandal.
And interaction segments where viewers send in pictures and social media posts are being paused to avoid the risk of any abuse being targeted at the presenters.
Phillip told The Sun Holly did not know about his affair.
He said: “I’ve lost my best friend. Holly did not know. And she was one of the first texts that I sent to say ‘I am so, so sorry, that I lied to you.’”
Schofield, 61, has been pictured comforting his mum Pat, 87, on a bench overlooking the ocean in Newquay, Cornwall — just moments after he told her he had been axed from the ITV show.
It comes as the Sun on Sunday revealed last week that former show contributor Dr Ranj Singh complained to bosses of bullying and a toxic atmosphere on set.
On Friday, former This Morning head of news Emily Maddick claimed she quit after two months over “bullying, sexism and a toxic culture of fear and intimidation” on the show.
Last week, Phillip said he texted Holly as the affair story broke, writing: “I know you can’t reply, you’re probably not allowed, but please know I’m desperately sorry.”
On Friday’s This Morning, Alison broke down in tears as she discussed The Sun’s exclusive interview with Phillip, in which he spoke of feeling suicidal.
She said she feared he could only take so much.
Alison, who has worked on the show with Phillip for more than two decades, was struggling when it came to the newspaper review.
For days, This Morning had ignored the fall-out of Phillip’s admission about his affair, despite the story being splashed across The Sun’s front pages.
But on Friday, presenters took time to discuss his exclusive interview with The Sun.
Alison appeared alongside co-presenter Dermot when she admitted she was finding the scandal difficult to process.
Dermot told viewers: “It’s very difficult for us to cover this story because he’s a friend and a colleague.”
Tearful Alison continued: “I’m just finding it really painful because obviously I loved Phillip Schofield and it’s weird because I still love Phillip Schofield.
“However what he has done is wrong. He’s admitted it. He’s said sorry but, as a family, we’re all really struggling to process.”
She later admitted she feared for Phillip’s mental health, adding: “There is so much a man can take isn’t there? I don’t want any death in this situation.”
Alison and Dermot had not spoken publicly at length about Phillip’s exit before Friday’s segment.
An ITV spokesman said: “ITV and the This Morning team are incredibly proud of the twelve and a half hours of award winning live television they produce five days a week.
“It takes a huge team of people to all pull together to make the award winning, much loved programme which each week reaches 4.4million loyal viewers.
“It’s a fast paced environment turning around a daily show that covers live and ever changing issues. We have robust mechanisms in place for complaints to be raised and those that are, are appropriately investigated.
“What we’re hearing from the This Morning team is that they just don’t recognise the picture that some are painting about the show.”