DEVASTATED Phillip Schofield gives the heartbreaking news of his This Morning sacking to his elderly mother, our exclusive pictures show.
The presenter, 61, comforts 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.
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The photos were taken a fortnight ago, on Friday May 19, just after the star had received a phone call from his manager telling him his time on This Morning was over.
And it was a week before he went on to admit he had an affair with a younger male runner on the series following intense speculation about his future and a feud with co-host Holly Willoughby, 42.
Phillip and his mum drove from her home to their favourite fish and chip shop — believed to be Flounders — in the town centre, where they picked up a takeaway treat before heading out to beauty spot Pentire Headland on a cliff.
Dressed in a white hoodie and jeans, distraught Phillip hugged his mother, who uses a walking frame, and held her hand as he delivered the upsetting news.
He had driven 280 miles from London to support her as his younger brother Timothy, 54, was being sentenced that day for child-sex offences.
He was jailed for 12 years.
In an exclusive interview with The Sun last week, Phillip said: “I had to go down to Cornwall to be with her for the sentencing.
And our family thing was always to buy fish and chips and go and sit on the headland.
“I picked my mum up and she went in to get the fish and chips — and while she was getting them, my phone rang.
“It was my then manager saying, ‘Mate, I am so sorry, it has become too loud for ITV.
“You will have to step down from This Morning’.
“And she arrived in the car. She said to me before I arrived, ‘You’re not coming down with any bad news are you?’.
“She sat in the car and she was all happy to see me, and then she said, ‘Oh, your face has changed’.
I said, ‘Let’s go on to the headland’. And I had to tell her.”
A source said: “Phil adores his mum and wanted to be with her during the difficult time.
“It ended up being a double blow for her in the end as both her sons were battling troubles.
“She was grateful to have Phil there during the agonising time, but has been left shattered by the distressing turn of events.
“The family are taking it day by day.”
Phillip and his family have spent many happier times in the area.
He grew up in the resort and attended school there, before getting his big break in BBC radio in Plymouth, Devon.
In our exclusive interview, Phillip told how he was in hiding as he was too scared to step out of his own front door.
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He revealed he was living as a recluse for fear of being spat on by angry members of the public.
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He said: “I do not know a time I will be able to walk out of the door.
“I don’t have any spirit. My friends tell me, ‘It will get better’. It won’t. Not now. Not this one.
“You watch all these layers of you slide away and slide away and slide away.
“The things that were dear to you. But I deserve it. It’s my fault.”
He admitted he has never suffered abuse in the street, but now fears also being shouted at.
He asks: “Are they spitting on me because I had an affair at work and lied about it?”
Fragile Phil, who is being supported by his beloved and devoted daughters Molly and Ruby, said he is taking each day as it comes.
He added: “I am getting by hour by hour. I’ve got my girls and friends.”
On Friday, Phillip told The Sun how the controversy has left him a broken man.
He said: “I am not sleeping, I am not eating.
“There’s a lot of Southern Comfort. My mind is in constant, utter turmoil.
“I think back to regrets, forwards to . . . what do I do now? What am I going to do now?”
He returned to his home in London over a week ago after spending the long weekend with his mum in Cornwall.
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WHAT HE SAID IN OUR INTERVIEW
“I had to go down to Cornwall to be with her for the sentencing. Our family thing was always to buy fish and chips and go and sit on the headland.
I picked my mum up and she went in to get the fish and chips and while she was getting it my phone rang.
It was my then manager, saying, ‘Mate I’m so sorry, it has become too loud for ITV. You will have to step down from This Morning.
She said to me before I arrived, ‘You’re not coming down with any bad news are you?’
She sat in the car and she was all happy to see me.
Then she said, ‘Oh your face has changed’.
I said let’s go on to the headland. And I had to tell her. She is devastated.”
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