Philip Schofield has quit This Morning, ITV has confirmed.

The presenter stepped back from  from ITV's flagship morning show, having presented his last episode on Thursday, ITV said.

He said he was stepping back from the programme because he "has become the story" and "I want to do what I can to protect the show I love".

It comes as Schofield admitted  “things haven't been easy” amid rumours of a recent rift with his This Morning co-host Holly Willoughby.

The pair’s relationship is reported to have come under strain since Schofield’s younger brother, Timothy, was convicted of several sex offences involving a child last month.

Schofield, 61, disowned his brother following the verdict, but there is speculation that his friendship with his co-presenter – with whom he also presents ITV’s Dancing on Ice – has recently deteriorated.

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