Lorraine Kelly has said fellow morning TV star Phillip Schofield has had a hard time after disclosing his affair with a younger male colleague.
Kelly, 64, presents a weekly chat show that airs just before ITV鈥檚 This Morning, which was hosted by Schofield and Holly Willoughby for more than a decade.
In May last year, Schofield resigned from ITV and was dropped by his talent agency after admitting to the 鈥渦nwise, but not illegal鈥 relationship.
She called him 鈥済enerous鈥, unlike some other male TV presenters, and said she thinks 鈥渆verybody lost their minds a wee bit鈥 during the media furore.
鈥淗e鈥檚 doing all right and he will be all right, but it鈥檚 hard,鈥 she said.
She added that she finds the 鈥渨hole culture of pile-ons very sad and quite depressing鈥, and that there are people in the entertainment industry who are 鈥済leeful at seeing somebody鈥檚 downfall鈥.
Kelly also said she believes 鈥渢here is a front page tabloid story鈥 about everyone, including her.
Schofield told the Sun in June that he was afraid to leave the house and the fallout had had a 鈥渃atastrophic effect鈥 on his mind.
He also told the BBC鈥檚 Amol Rajan that his daughters had 鈥済uarded me and won鈥檛 let me out of their sight鈥 amid fears for his mental health.
It found that the broadcaster made 鈥渃onsiderable efforts鈥 to discover the truth about an alleged relationship between Schofield and a runner on This Morning in 2019 but was 鈥渦nable to uncover the relevant evidence鈥 until his admission in 2023.
Kelly also told The Sunday Times Magazine it is 鈥渏ust really lovely鈥 that Willoughby is back on TV screens for Dancing On Ice after leaving This Morning last October.
Willoughby left the show after 14 years on the sofa, saying she made the 鈥渄ecision for me and my family鈥.
She continues to present Dancing On Ice, where she has been joined by Deal Or No Deal host Stephen Mulhern as a replacement for Schofield.
