Phillip Schofield responds to claims he may leave This Morning for the BBC

Phillip Schofield has responded to claims he could leave ITV’s This Morning for the BBC next year.

Phil has been hosting This Morning since 2002, originally alongside Fern Britton and since 2009 with Holly Willoughby.

But with his deal expiring in 2021, there are claims that the BBC are lining up a an offer to poach the presenter, who also fronts Dancing On Ice.

“Phil’s a telly legend. He has thousands of loyal fans who follow his every move,” a source claimed to The Sun newspaper. “He’s become a prime target for the BBC who think he would be the perfect face for a number of new shows. ”

The tabloid clams that Phil current enjoys a £1 million-a-year ‘golden handcuffs’ contract, meaning he cannot work on other channels.

The BBC are apparently lining up a “multi-million pound offer” to secure him for themselves.

“The hope is a meeting could take place as restrictions begin to ease later this year — and he’d be able to give them an idea of how much he’d be looking for,” the source added.

However Phil has suggested he won’t be switching channels any time soon.

When one fan asked on Twitter this week: “please please don’t say that you and Holly are leaving this morning?”

He replied: “Course not” alongside a crying with laughter emoji.

This Morning has been airing on ITV since 1988, with almost 7,000 episodes to date.

You can currently watch from 10AM Monday to Fridays with episodes available to watch online and on catch up via ITV Hub