Kim Woodburn has called for a "full investigation" into ITV, as she claims some of the channel's shows "thrive on bullying and being unkind".
Kim Woodburn calls for ITV investigation
The 81-year-old TV personality infamously clashed with her former 'Celebrity Big Brother' housemate Coleen Nolan during an appearance on 'Loose Women' in August 2018.
Kim has now told how the recent controversy surrounding ITV - which comes amid Phillip Schofield departing the channel after admitting to having an affair with a much younger male colleague - has "definitely brought back" the feelings she endured in the wake of her 'Loose Women' appearance.
She told new! magazine: "The recent talk of toxicity at ITV has definitely brought back those feelings for me. I’ve been saying it all along and now I feel like I’m finally being proven right.
"ITV needs a full investigation - some of their shows thrive on bullying and being unkind.
"In my opinion, Phillip should have been let go a long time ago, but ITV have allowed this kind of behaviour."
Kim clashed with Coleen in the 'Celebrity Big Brother' house weeks before her 'Loose Women' appearance, which ITV say she agreed to "on the understanding it was for a reconciliation with Coleen".
But now, Kim insists she was "exploited" by ITV in 2018, and claims the channel should "provide a better duty of care".
She added: "'Loose Women' assured me they wanted an interview with me to put things right after 'Celebrity Big Brother'. Looking back now, I should have known something was wrong.
"ITV reassured me that it wouldn’t be a slagging match but that’s exactly what it was. Any time I’ve been on before there’s always been a live feed of the show in the dressing room - but this time there wasn’t.
"I felt exploited by ITV. I was being mocked. I was being laughed at, and no one intervened to stop it.
"My agent had to ask the head of 'Loose Women', ‘Are you going to do anything about it and check on her welfare?’ They then offered their psychologist to talk to me but I wasn’t comfortable talking to a stranger.
"ITV needs to provide a better duty of care. For me, being questioned like that was rubbing salt in the wound. Things should have been left alone.
"ITV lied to me under false pretences for nastiness and TV ratings. I was disgusted with everything."
ITV said in a statement to the publication: "As we said five years ago, Kim agreed to appear on the show on the understanding it was for a reconciliation with Coleen.
"Kim becoming upset was never the intention and the panel did endeavour to comfort her. Kim was offered and accepted support from ITV following the programme and Ofcom found the programme not to be in breach of the Broadcasting Code."
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