Josh Wheeler, the founder of Manchester’s Be Broadcast, which counts supporting Peter Tatchell’s LGBT+ rights protest at the Qatar World Cup among its recent high-profile campaigns, has offered some tips to ITV’s comms team as the dust begins to settle – or not – on Phillip Schofield’s departure from This Morning.
Schofield announced he would be stepping down as host of the long-running mid-morning show after 20 years on Saturday afternoon, following days of rumours about the deteriorating relationship with co-host Holly Willoughby, as well as rumours around the pair’s private lives – both have taken time off from presenting duties in the last few months, Schofield while his, now disowned, brother stood trial for sexual offences involving children and Willoughby to recuperate from illness. That’s before we even consider the very public drop in stock in morning TV’s first couple following the infamous Westminster Hall queue-jumping affair.
Schofield’s statement pointedly made no mention of his erstwhile sofa buddy, while the somewhat ambiguous “I understand ITV has decided the current situation can’t go on” suggested the decision may not have been entirely voluntary.
Wheeler said that ITV took far too long to address the developing situation, and had some advice for leaders at This Morning moving forwards: “Initially, Philip took the lead in the communication chain, followed by ITV and then Holly. That can’t continue – to maintain clarity and consistency, the order of communication should remain unambiguous going forward. ITV is recommended to communicate first, followed by Holly and supported by other presenters.”
Among the first things ITV must address, said Wheeler, is Willoughby’s own future on the show, which has not been immune to rumours itself: “While Holly’s presence brings some stability, uncertainty surrounding her tenure sparks curiosity about potential successors. ITV must move swiftly to resolve this issue; ideally, they should have a plan in place before issuing any statements,” said Wheeler.
This Morning would already appear to have dropped the ball on this front – this morning’s show saw Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary stand in for the reportedly warring pair, with only the briefest of mentions of Scholfield’s departure: “We can’t start today’s show without paying tribute to the man who spent the last two decades sitting on This Morning’s sofa, Phillip Schofield,” said Hammond over an Oscars In Memoriam-style montage of Schofield photos on screen.
“As a show, everyone on and off screen at ITV and This Morning want to say a huge thank you to Phil for what he has done to make the show such a success over the last 21 years,” O’Leary chipped in. “Quite simply, we all know he is one of the best live television broadcasters this country has ever had. And we and all the team wish him all the best for the future.”
With that it was on to a review of the day’s news, with Willoughby mentioned in passing later in regards to the fact she would be back in June.
For Wheeler, a more direct approach could have yielded more positive results: “Audiences expected a candid discussion today – and they didn’t get it. It is crucial for the discussion to be sincere and relatable, as any attempt to gloss over the issue could be detrimental. Looking at social media responses today, that seems to have been the case,” he said. “Monitoring public sentiment and addressing external perspectives are also important. The prolonged headline story needs to be acknowledged and responded to by This Morning and ITV to alter public perception. Sentiment analysis should guide their response at each stage.”
Moving forwards, despite today’s apparent missed opportunity Wheeler maintained the situation can still be redeemed: “The first thing is that rebuilding a damaged reputation takes time, consistency, and a genuine commitment to change. It’s crucial for This Morning to be authentic, demonstrate growth, and continuously engage with its audience in a positive and responsible manner,” he said.
“What I saw this morning glossed over the issue. This could be for various reasons. Ultimately, the audience won’t know that and perhaps think ITV and This Morning are trying to avoid it. With the summer season approaching, there may be an opportunity to refresh the show’s format and incorporate past presenters like Richard, Judy, and Fern Britton alongside new voices. This could help maintain viewer loyalty and create a sense of a ‘family’ atmosphere, considering the show’s longstanding format.”
With This Morning back on screens tomorrow and the 2023 British Soap Awards – traditionally a home-from-home for the daytime TV pair – careering into view at the beginning of June, any hopes ITV may have that the fuss will die down quietly seem likely to prove hopelessly optimistic.
