Kerry Katona has claimed she was left "suicidal" after appearing on 'This Morning'
Kerry Katona speaks out on This Morning scandal
The 42-year-old star appeared on the ITV daytime show in 2008 where she appeared to have been slurring her words and later explained it was a side effect of the medication she was taking at the time but was left embroiled in a public feud with host Phillip Schofield - who stepped down from the show last week after 20 years amid rumours of a feud with Holly Willoughby and shortly after admitted he had an "unwise but not illegal" extramarital affair with a younger male colleague - admitted that her appearance left her so low because there was a lack of "aftercare" from the broadcaster.
Speaking on GB News' 'Dan Wooton Tonight', she said: "I'm not here to jump on the bandwagon and pull Phillip Schofield down, we actually did kiss and make up. When he came out, I sent him a text saying he was very brave so I don't wanna be a two-faced person, I have moved on from that. What I am here to say is that the culture at ITV and the toxicity, and the aftercare is so lack-of that I was left suicidal. No one reached out to me whatsoever, it was so disgusting!
"When I got home after that interview, it was like a crime scene. There were reporters, camera crews, and paparazzi. ITV never once reached out to me and said 'Kerry, can we help you in any way? Could you just explain to us what bipolar is and what is the medication you're on?' Nobody wanted to work with me again and I've been very fortunate and lucy enough that I've turned my life around."
The former Atomic Kitten singer went on to add that her "stomach turns" whenever she thinks about Phillip because of the "scrutiny" he will be under amid the scandal and reiterated that she just wants to vocalise the "toxic" atmosphere she has experienced when working at the studio.
She added: "They all need ripping down, bringing down off their pedestals and it all needs revamping completely. My stomach turns every time I think about Phil and the scrutiny he's going through. I don't wish this on anybody, I really, really don't. I'm not here to go 'Haha, karma's a b**** and it bites hard!' I'm not here for that. I'm here to vocalise the toxicity. "
Kerry - who has been open about overcoming addiction over the years - went on to add that the viral interview where she appeared to be slurring her words has had a lasting impact on her career.
She added: "Even now, when I look at that video, I feel so ashamed and feel so hard done by. For 10 years, I've had to justify myself. I've shoved enough s*** up my nose to last a lifetime and I've drank til the cows come home, I've got no reason to lie. I'm 43 this year and even today I still have to justify myself for that interview!"
"Her comments come amid revelations that Jane Mulcahy KC has been hired by the broadcaster to carry out an external review of the scandal, which led to Schofield's exit from 'This Morning' after more than two decades on the show.
Dame Carolyn McCall, the chief executive of ITV, says in a letter to Ofcom: "ITV spoke to a number of people who worked on the 'This Morning' and wider Daytime team and were not provided with, and did not find any evidence of, a relationship beyond hearsay and rumour.
"Given the ongoing rumours, we continued to ask questions of both parties, who both continued to deny the rumours, including as recently as this month."
Dame Carolyn also revealed that ITV has offered support to the former employee whom Schofield had an affair with.
She says: "The ITV employee was aged 19 when he first did work experience at 'This Morning' in 2015 and 20 years old when he applied and succeeded in securing a job as a runner on the show.
"He subsequently applied for and was successful in securing a promotion to 'Loose Women' in 2019. He left ITV in 2021."
Amid the scandal, Dame Carolyn has also insisted that ITV takes its responsibility surrounding duty of care "seriously " and allows anyone to "raise concerns" anonymously.
She said in a statement: "I want to reassure you that as a producer and broadcaster, ITV takes its responsibilities around duty of care and speaking up seriously and has robust and well-established processes in place which allow anyone who works with us to raise concerns they may have anonymously."
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