Tearful Hammond admits: It’s painful because I still love him

ALISON HAMMOND broke down in tears on This Morning yesterday after watching Phillip Schofield admit to suicidal thoughts, saying she “still loves” him.

The presenter was reacting to an interview in which the former ITV star said his daughters had to “guard” him from taking his life last week, as the scandal over his affair with a young runner emerged.

Visibly tearful, Hammond told viewers: “I’m finding it really painful because obviously I loved Phillip Schofield and it’s weird because I still love Phillip Schofield.

However, what he’s done is wrong – he’s admitted it, he’s said sorry. But as a family we’re all really struggling to process everything. I but I remember what my mum said – use the Bible as your guide, Al. In the Bible, it says: ‘He without sin, cast the first stone’. I don’t want to say anything bad because obviously I’m in conflict, that’s how I feel.

“There’s only so much a man can take, isn’t there? I don’t want any death in this situation.”

Schofield resigned from ITV last week after 21 years’ fronting the daytime show and was dropped

‘There’s only so much a man can take, isn’t there? I don’t want any death in this situation’

by YMU, his talent agency, after admitting to an “unwise but not illegal” relationship.

The 61-year-old said he was “utterly broken and ashamed” over the dalliance he had with the younger man, but insisted that he “did not” groom him.

Hammond, 48, and Dermot O’Leary have taken over presenting duties since Schofield left, with his former presenting partner Holly Willoughby still away.