Former This Morning doctor Ranj Singh says on-screen culture has become ‘toxic’ | TVI

A TV doctor who previously worked on ITV’s This Morning said the show’s culture had become ‘toxic’ and he was ‘outcast’ after he tried to raise concerns.

Dr Ranj Singh, who made regular appearances to offer medical advice, said that in 10 years on the show he had become “increasingly worried about how things were going behind the scenes and how people, including myself, were treated”.

It comes after presenter Phillip Schofield, 61, quit ITV and was dropped by his talent agency after he admitted lying about having an affair with a young male colleague on This Morning.

The resignation follows weeks of speculation about tensions between Schofield and his co-presenter, Holly Willoughby, who has since said Schofield initially denied the affair and called the admission he was lying ‘very hurtful’ .

ITV said rumors of the affair were investigated when they first emerged in early 2020, but Schofield and the youngster “categorically and repeatedly denied” any relationship.

In an article published on Sunday, Dr Singh said he had no knowledge of the case and that he ‘genuinely loved and appreciated the work’ on This Morning, but that the issues with the show were ‘fine. beyond” by Schofield.

“It takes more than one person to create a culture,” he wrote.

Dr Singh said that about two years ago he raised concerns about the working environment on the show with ITV daytime manager Emma Gormley and that he was felt particularly compelled to do so because he had been involved in “diversity, anti-bullying and mental health projects across the Channel”.

“I then found myself being used less and less,” he said.

“I even took my concerns straight to the top of ITV: This Morning’s culture had become toxic, was no longer aligned with ITV’s values, and I felt like because I had spoken out , I had been eliminated.”

Dr Singh said ‘things like bullying and discrimination are very difficult to prove’ and ‘no review or investigation is foolproof’ but he was ‘assured that some things were going to be addressed and changes brought”.

“I haven’t worked on the show since,” he wrote. “And I’m not the only one who has spoken or had a similar experience.”

An ITV spokesperson said: ‘We are sorry to read Dr Ranj’s message today. We at ITV are fully committed to providing every opportunity for anyone working with us to raise any concerns or comments they may have.

“Following a complaint made by Dr Ranj, we have appointed an external and independent advisor to carry out a review. This external review found no evidence of bullying or discrimination.

Following Schofield’s resignation, This Morning continued with cover presenters Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary, while Willoughby takes a two-week vacation.

ITV has denied reports that This Morning is currently under review and may be removed following the controversy.