Phillip Schofield: ITV investigation 'take months' to finish

It was confirmed last month that the broadcaster had instructed a barrister to conduct an external review, with the findings set to be made public.

This was ordered due to Schofield admitted to lying about an affair with a much-younger colleague who also worked on the show.

A source told The Sun on Sunday that the investigation will take place over 12 weeks and involve interviews with Schofield and the man he had the affair with.

Additionally, This Morning presenters Holly Willoughby, Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond will also be interviewed.

Current and former staff members of This Morning will be interviewed as part of the Phillip Schofield investigation (Image: PA)

The source told the newspaper: “The inquiry will speak to all those involved. It will focus on what happened before and after he was first given work experience on the set of This Morning. And it will also seek to establish who knew what and when.

“As well as speaking to current staff it will also invite former employees to come forward with information.”

Once the report has been put together, ITV will review the results and take action accordingly.

What was Phillip Schofield controversy about?

Schofield said in an interview last month that his "career is over" following the affair he had with a young male colleague on the ITV morning talk show.

They were "not boyfriends" he clarified and they only had five or six romantic encounters over a few months, but he admits it was a "grave error" and that he shouldn't have partaken in it.

Some controversy stemmed from the fact Schofield first met the man he would later go on to have an affair with when he was invited to appear as part of an event at a drama school many years ago.

After asking the now 61-year-old advice on how to get into the TV industry, the individual eventually came to work on This Morning years later.

Schofield said he understood people who thought there had been an abuse of power, but said it "didn't feel like that at the time".

"I fully appreciate there is a massive age gap, but that happens in life. I think there is an enormous amount of homophobia that it happens to be male, but if it was male-female then it wouldn't be such a scandal," he added.