This Morning break their silence over Phillip Schofield amid his absence from the show

This Morning have broken their silence on Phillip Schofield when it emerged he won’t be returning to the show for weeks amid his brother’s sexual assault trial.

The presenter went missing from the famous couch this week while his younger brother Timothy Schofield, 54, is on trial on sexual charges – with his co-star Holly Willoughby joined by other presenters.

And while the daytime ITV show has been tight-lipped about Phillip’s absence, they did share a special message on Instagram for the star on Saturday to mark his 61st birthday.

Alongside a photo of Phillip smiling on set with a confetti effect falling around him, This Morning writes, “Happy Birthday @schofe, from everyone at This Morning.”

This was accompanied by other images of Phillip on the show, with snaps including one of him laughing with longtime co-star Holly, 42, and cuddling with fellow presenter Alison Hammond, 48.

Unlike This Morning’s previous Instagram posts, the comments for this were disabled during the ongoing trial of Phillip’s brother.

Schofield has been absent from the program since Monday and will also have to miss next week, leaving duo Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary – who usually present the show on Fridays – to take over the reins.

Earlier this week, Alison Hammond stepped in for Schofield alongside Holly Willoughby, before Joel Dommett, 37, filled in on Wednesday and Thursday.

It was announced on Thursday’s show that Alison and Dermot, 49, will replace the couple during their usual two-week Easter break.

The duo’s hiatus was already planned by ITV, but it means Schofield will miss at least three weeks’ worth of shows before returning to the air.

Timothy Schofield faces a total of 11 sex offense charges against a young teenage boy over three years as of October 2016.

He denies all charges against him, including performing sexual acts in front of his accuser, leading him to watch and perform sexual acts.

Holly Willoughby, Phil’s usual co-host, made light of the 60-year-old presenter’s absence on Monday: “Phil has a week off so all the adults have left the building and Alison has come!”

It has not yet been confirmed when Holly and Phil will return to This Morning as a duo, but it will be several weeks away at least.

Holly herself said in the program that she would be off the screens for “a few weeks”.

Phil is a witness in the trial and this week a statement from the presenter was read to the court after Schofield allegedly confessed to a sexual act he had committed with the teenager in front of his older brother.

The TV presenter told his brother it should “never happen again” and later made a statement to police that is part of the case against his younger sibling, the court said.

Exeter Crown Court heard this week how Schofield traveled across the country to visit his TV presenter brother in a ‘heightened state of excitement’ and said he was on the verge of taking his own life.

When he arrived, a statement from Phil described how he was doing the dishes when his brother started telling him about a sexual act he and the teen had performed together.

In a statement read in court by District Attorney Robin Shellard on Wednesday, Phillip recalled receiving a phone call from his brother on Sept. 12, 2021.

“It was a weekend and he asked if I could talk,” he said. “Tim was in an extreme state of excitement.

“He said he was about to kill himself. He said his head was a mess and everything was a mess.”

Schofield reportedly wanted to open up after the victim confronted him the previous month – but he was shocked by the presenter when he went into graphic details.

He continued, “We ended up having dinner and I was doing the dishes. Tim stood behind me and he said you’re going to hate me for what I’m about to say.

“I said he couldn’t say anything that would make me hate him.

‘He said [the alleged victim and him] had their time together and watched porn and sex on the couch last year.

“I turned around and said, ‘What did you just say? Schofield then said it was “a moment when we were together.”

“Tim said it was for this time and I told him it must never happen again,” Phillip said.

The defendant then began describing the alleged victim’s body and Phillip yelled, “F***, stop!”

“I told him this had to stop,” the statement continued. “I just didn’t want to hear any details, but it sounded like it was just one time.

“I said I don’t want you to tell me more. However it happened, it must never happen again.

“He said it was normal [their] time. I said, ‘What the hell is that?’” Phil said he never mentioned it to his brother again.