Rylan Clark has made a subtle dig at Phillip Schofield while reflecting on the recent scandals that have shaken the television industry. The 34-year-old presenter, who rose to fame on The X Factor in 2012, has since built a successful career hosting shows including Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two and This Morning.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Clark addressed being falsely linked to the BBC presenter scandal that eventually implicated Huw Edwards. He said: 'One person would have said, “I’ve heard it’s Rylan,” or, “I bet it’s Rylan,” someone else sees that, and the next thing you know there’s a paper using my photo on the story.' Clark added that he prefers to speak out directly rather than rely on PR: 'If I know I’ve done nothing wrong … I’ll be the first one to say, it’s f—k all to do with me.'
Clark also appeared to reference Schofield's downfall, which saw the former This Morning host admit to an 'unwise but not illegal' affair with a younger colleague. Without naming Schofield, Clark remarked: 'Work hard, be decent to everybody and be nice to everyone on the way up, because everyone has a fall.'
The comments come after a turbulent year for ITV's This Morning, with accusations of a 'toxic' work environment emerging following Schofield's departure. Clark, who has previously stood in as a presenter on the show, made clear he only gets involved when his own name is dragged into controversy.
