Phillip Schofield labelled 'arch manipulator' by Fern Britton's team amid Amanda Holden feud

26 June 2019, 08:33

The TV presenter has come under fire AGAIN as he's slammed by former co-host's agent for "interfering" behaviour

Phillip Schofield has been branded an "arch manipulator" by ex telly partner Fern Britton's agent as his bitter row with Amanda Holden rages on.

Jon Roseman, who represented Fern during her presenting stint on This Morning from 1999 to 2009, has weighed in on the controversial feud, claiming Phillip's "interfering" behaviour caused issues between the TV duo.

He told the Daily Mail: "From day one he began to interfere with the editorial content of the show. Fern always left it to the editor, a mistake she attempted to rectify, but too late.

"His stranglehold was too tight by the time she recognised what he was up to. Their ability to work together was up there with the Eamonn Holmes/Anthea Turner friction.

"He befriended Simon Shaps, the then boss of the network centre. After this friendship, all bets were off ... he just got what he wanted."

Phillip and Fern's relationship was called into question last year when the former colleagues, who co-presented the ITV breakfast show from 2002 to 2009, had an awkward chat live on This Morning.

She quizzed the long-running TV star about her missing invite to the BAFTAs to celebrate the show's 30th year.

At the time, Fern said: "Congrats on the BAFTA. That was absolutely wonderful and brilliant. I would have loved to have been there but I didn't get an invitation."

A clearly rattled Phil tried to soften the situation by reminding her she was performing in Scotland on the big night.

But Fern replied: "I wasn't on Monday night, I would have come but I wasn't invited."

However reports later claimed that Fern had been invited, her agent just hadn't passed the invitation along – something which Phillip clarified on Twitter.

He wrote: "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."

Phil is currently embroiled in a sour feud with Britain's Got Talent judge Amanda Holden.

Rumours of a rift between the two began when sources claimed he blocked her chances of hosting This Morning while current co-host Holly Willoughby was away in Australia presenting I'm A Celebrity.

Heart FM breakfast show host Amanda allegedly told ITV boss Kevin Lygo of her concerns, with a former colleague of Phil's revealing that "Phillip actively campaigned for Rochelle Humes to get the job despite Amanda being more experienced".

But the TV host took to Twitter to deny the "wildly untrue" allegations.

He tweeted: "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."