Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think the media need to be careful...

199 replies

apairofjeanstharfitjustright · 27/05/2023 07:17

Whatever Philip Schofield has done, I think the media need to be careful, look what happened to Caroline Flack. Completely vilified in the press and the same is happening to Philip.

Regardless of what I think of him, I think the media need to back off and tread lightly here.

AIBU or do you think he deserves all of this?

OP posts:
whynotwhatknot · 27/05/2023 19:38

Did i read caroline flack did nothing wrong

wow

SargentSagittarius · 27/05/2023 19:39

conniefused · 27/05/2023 17:13

There's a difference between "being ok" with it and recognising it's not actually a crime. Immoral, sleazy, predatory perhaps but not illegal. That said, nobody is saying it's ok and I haven't seen one single person say that what PS has done is right or excusable. However I'm sick of seeing the British gutter press tear people apart to the point of suicide in some cases.

PS has behaved appallingly. Really disgustingly. He's left his job and will never work again in that capacity. His reputation is destroyed. What more do people want? Are you enjoying seeing this media field day?

Show quote history

And you know what?

Society judges things that are ‘immoral, sleazy and predatory’.

For good reason!?

It’s a way of minimising the occurrence of them happening. That tends to be a good thing, not least for the people who would be on the receiving end of those actions.

Or do you think people should be free to behave as badly as they’d like, as long as it’s not illegal, and fuck the consequences?

conniefused · 27/05/2023 19:53

@SargentSagittarius but there have been consequences. His career over and his reputation is fucked. What more can be done other than legal proceedings? Which won't happen because a crime hasn't been committed.

I agree the man is a predator and have behaved appallingly. And of course people are going to talk about it. But the press will drag this out for months and they will unearth all manner of things some of which will be true and some will be lies. And at the centre of it will be his family. How is any of this fair on his daughters? His mum?

SnugAsA · 27/05/2023 19:57

Meh, I have bigger concerns. He's a big boy and no stranger to the media. Live by the sword, etc., etc.

PlacidPenelope · 27/05/2023 20:05

Sillybanana · 27/05/2023 19:34

Not only did Phillip admit to a really gross relationship with someone he’d known since a child, he also used his power at itv to shut all the rumours down and control the other presenters. He thought he was untouchable. I find his arrogance really sickening

Exactly. Clearly forgot the old saying - be aware how you treat people when you are on the way up and at the top because they will remember it when you are on the way down.

His arrogance was his undoing.

HappiestSleeping · 27/05/2023 20:09

SargentSagittarius · 27/05/2023 19:26

You’re still here!

Refreshing the thread and posting!?!

Show quote history

Only replying to correct a view that I'm reading the thread. Just responding to comments. 👍

SargentSagittarius · 27/05/2023 20:10

How is any of this fair on his daughters? His mum?

It’s completely awful for them.

Shouldn’t he have thought about them?

SargentSagittarius · 27/05/2023 20:11

If only there was something inside your head that stopped you from doing stupid shit.

SargentSagittarius · 27/05/2023 20:13

HappiestSleeping · 27/05/2023 20:09

Only replying to correct a view that I'm reading the thread. Just responding to comments. 👍

Show quote history

FFS, just avoid the thread like you said you wanted to.

You don’t want to, you love it here, and can’t stay away.

JessandJupiter · 27/05/2023 20:23

whynotwhatknot · 27/05/2023 19:38

Did i read caroline flack did nothing wrong

wow

No one is saying that are they? She was very wrong to attack her bf but to compare her to someone like PS is inappropriate.

To start with CF had well documented mh issues, which centred around abandonment (potential borderline personality disorder?) and the night the attack happened, both she and her bf were drunk, having been out separately. He had received a text from another women. CF tried to grab the phone off him and hit him during the altercation which was wrong but the blood shown in the photo that one of her bf’s friends sold to the Daily Mail was Caroline’s as she had cut her own wrists that night too.

The Crown Prosecution Service recommended a caution if I remember correctly but the Met tried to pursue a more serious charge and held her in cells for a long time.

It’s worth mentioning in this context that the Met do not have a great reputation when dealing with female detainees, and that many male tv presenters in similar situations who have been protected by their management whereas CF lost all of her presenting jobs overnight.

PosseGalore · 27/05/2023 20:27

I agree with you. i wish people would boycott ITV for the way they've handled this (I don't watch the programme and don't watch ITV much). It is truly disgusting to watch the way they're all coming for him. Are they seriously expecting us to believe that they didn't know what was going on?

PosseGalore · 27/05/2023 20:28

Social media has made a mockery of legal process.

PosseGalore · 27/05/2023 20:33

Willmafrockfit · 27/05/2023 11:34

The boy became a member of the youth company that Schofield is patron of

hiding in plain sight

It was quite obvious to me from the title what the content was going to be.

User1529865 · 27/05/2023 20:33

A lot on here are absolutely salivating at the thought of more coming out.

whynotwhatknot · 27/05/2023 20:33

someone did say on tis thread caroline done nothing wrong sorry i didnt quote it

the cps decide in the end not the police

you can excuse violence all you like

BeethovenNinth · 27/05/2023 20:35

I actually agree.

can’t stand the man but trial by media and the ensuing witch-hunt is unpleasant.

blacksax · 27/05/2023 20:38

The press has always got a witch hunt going for someone. I wonder who they'll have in their sights next time? Many high-profile people get away with all sorts, but because they aren't the current target, the papers look the other way and sweep it all under the carpet.

And I suspect that if PS's young 'friend' had been female, there would have been far less media attention.

SargentSagittarius · 27/05/2023 20:38

Yes @JessandJupiter - pp said exactly that, that CF ‘did nothing wrong’. That’s what people are picking up on.

whynotwhatknot · 27/05/2023 20:39

AlwaysGinPlease · 27/05/2023 13:09

For goodness sake, this is absolutely nothing like Caroline Flack. She did nothing wrong and was bullied and victimized by the press. He's a vile manipulative, lying groomer, by his own admission. Think instead how his victim feels and the victim of his pedophile brother, the one PS knew about and did nothing at all about it. No doubt they've felt like ending their own lives at some point.

Whatever he does I could not care less. I'm just glad he has finally been seen for what he is and that his career is over.

Show quote history

found it

AbreathofFrenchair · 27/05/2023 20:40

Partytastic · 27/05/2023 07:36

Where did he admit he groomed a child?

Show quote history

He first had contact with him when he was 10, followed him on social media when he was 13 and initiated contact directly with him this way.

Got him a job as a runner, started a relationship with him then got him moved when he questioned the circumstance and then put a gagging order on him, preventing him speaking about what happened between them.

He got multiple people moved out of ITV because they also questioned his behaviour around young Male staff employed by ITV and lied to co workers.

Which part of that do you think isnt grooming?

It come to light because the young man was brave enough to speak out, only to be met with a gagging order and hundreds of people wringing their hands and earnestly defending Philip and his choices.

Tambora · 27/05/2023 20:40

User1529865 · 27/05/2023 20:33

A lot on here are absolutely salivating at the thought of more coming out.

And that is why the media behaves the way it does. If the stories weren't selling, they wouldn't bother half as much.

Boardname · 27/05/2023 20:41

I don't think it's trial by media as they have only reported on what he has said (even though its been widely known for years). They haven't posted rumours, they have written about the reactions of his colleagues and questioned the integrity of ITVs 'investigation' which is fair enough. They haven't been making wild accusations of calling for his head on a platter, they seem to be gunning more for ITV who were weirdly keen to protect him.

I feel more empathy towards MM who I think the media on the whole have been careful not to name but who went through this; he is the victim here.

SargentSagittarius · 27/05/2023 20:43

blacksax · 27/05/2023 20:38

The press has always got a witch hunt going for someone. I wonder who they'll have in their sights next time? Many high-profile people get away with all sorts, but because they aren't the current target, the papers look the other way and sweep it all under the carpet.

And I suspect that if PS's young 'friend' had been female, there would have been far less media attention.

Yes, I wonder who they’ll have their sights on next.

I guess all the big names who haven’t been grooming young people, abusing people, wielding their power, behaving immorally and generally being predators can probably rest easily.

But won’t someone think of the poor predators! The media is coming for them!

Maybe they’ll be lucky and continue to fall into your camp of ‘getting away with all sorts’….

newjobnewstartihope · 27/05/2023 20:49

Be kind= don't exclude kids at school from playing with you, don't tell your aunt Edna the dress she feels lovely in makes her look like ten ton Tess, help an elderly person cross the road
Be kind does not mean excuse someone's potentially criminal activities and the effect that will have on a victim in case they kill themselves
I'm going to put it out there- the he kind brigade seem to have very low intelligence generally

Wolbarker · 27/05/2023 20:55

Fall Guy for Saville? Hit him whilst he’s alive?