Phillip Schofield scandal could ‘deepen pain’ for him

If all the details of Phillip Schofield’s affair with a younger lover were revealed, the repercussions would be “cataclysmic” for the TV personality, a source has claimed.

Following the public revelation of his relationship with a male colleague 34 years his junior, which led to his resignation from This Morning in disgrace, Schofield has remained out of the public eye since admitting to the affair and deceiving his ITV employers last May.

It has now been revealed that the 61-year-old paid his former lover a six-figure sum in return for signing a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) which means the younger man is prevented from ever talking about their relationship.

A lawyer acting for Schofield confirmed a deal was signed with last year which included a ‘mutual non-disclosure provision’ and payment to compensate the man for losses suffered.

While the father-of-two has barely been seen on TV since the scandal, a source familiar with the NDA has told the Mail on Sunday the full details of the affair could bring further pain for him should they ever be revealed.

The man was just 15 when he met Schofield, who helped him land a coveted job as a runner on This Morning at the age of 19.

A romantic relationship between the pair began when the man was 20, after which he moved to another ITV daytime show, Loose Women. He later left the channel with a separate payout.

Despite the clause gagging both sides from talking about the affair, Schofield revealed intimate details of their relationship when he was interviewed by the BBC’s Amol Rajan last June.