Jeremy Clarkson, Piers Morgan defend ex-This Morning host Phillip Schofield – latest

It was the British Soap Awards at The Lowry Theatre in Salford last night, and Schofield was originally due to host the ceremony. Jane McDonald stepped in at the last minute to replace him, but protestors still showed up outside the venue with signs.

The presenter has said he finds the criticism of Schofield over his secret affair with a younger male colleague “weird” and has “never seen a witch hunt like it”.

There are reports that since Willoughby hosted the celebrity challenge show Freeze the Fear on BBC One last year, bosses at the rival broadcaster have been keen to poach her.

Several stars have jumped to Schofield’s defence, arguing that there is an element of homophobia to the backlash against the former This Morning host.

He said he was “utterly broken and ashamed” over having the affair with the younger male colleague, but denied grooming the man.

The presenter will be back on This Morning after her extended halfterm break. Find out who’s joining her on the sofa below…

The mother of the late Love Island host Caroline Flack, who took her own life three years ago, has issued a heartfelt plea to Phillip Schofield: “Wait to see what happens and don’t do anything stupid.”

Schofield was meant to be hosting the ceremony, but after the presenter admitted to his affair, ITV was forced to find a last-minute stand-in, with singer Jane McDonald stepping in to replace him. The event will be televised on Tuesday night.

From Piers Morgan to Eamonn Holmes and Rupert Everett to Alison Hammond, read what many stars have had to say here…

The former ITV presenter wrote on Twitter: “Unless Phillip Schofield’s ex-lover contradicts his version of events to The Sun [and the] BBC, then it’s time to stop this relentless persecution of a guy who’s lost everything and looks right on the edge to me.”

He continued: “He doesn’t seem to have committed any crime, and he’s not a [government] minister.”