Newspaper headlines: 'Phil affair storm' and 'travel chaos ruins holidays'

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By BBC News
Staff
PA Media

Phillip Schofield left his role on This Morning last week following reports of a rift with Holly Willoughby

"Bombshell" is the word on several of the front pages, after Phillip Schofield announced he was quitting all his ITV roles, for lying about an affair with a "younger male colleague" while he was married. The Daily Mail calls it "Phil's final humiliation" - and says his "extraordinary mea culpa", via the paper, comes after he lied to The Mail on Sunday. The 61-year-old's television career looks to be over, says the Daily Mirror. It lies "in ruins", The Sun declares.

The Daily Telegraph leads with a warning from the outgoing head of the RAF, Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston, that Russia will be "vindictive" if it loses the war in Ukraine. He also tells the paper that Moscow poses a direct threat to the UK, and NATO, because of their support for Ukraine since the launch of the invasion in February last year - and Sir Mike says this is something "we must focus our minds on".

The Times reports that teachers from abroad are being wooed with an "extra £10,000" in a recruitment drive by ministers to fill vacancies in England. The paper says hundreds of maths, science and language teachers will be brought in from countries, such as India and Nigeria, this year. Unions have told The Times it is a "desperate" attempt to avoid giving existing staff a bigger pay rise. The Department for Education says it is actively looking to boost the number of qualified teachers.

The i newspaper says the former Conservative chancellor, George Osborne, has been summoned to give evidence next month to the Covid inquiry - calling it "austerity on trial". The paper reports that Mr Osborne will be questioned about NHS and social care cuts, which took place during his time in government, and whether they left Britain less able to cope. The i says Mr Osborne will "defend austerity".

The Daily Mail leads with a report that an investigation into the equalities watchdog boss has been suspended amid what it calls fears of a "witch hunt". It is the latest on the story by the paper - it says it has exposed "an apparent plot" by staff at the Equality and Human Rights Commission to oust Baroness Kishwer Falkner over her stance on transgender issues, allegedly after she backed legal reforms guarding the rights of biological women in sport and single-sex spaces.

The FT Weekend reports that a leading figure in the Welsh arts is poised to be "given the nod" by the government as the interim chair of the BBC, following the resignation of Richard Sharp. The paper says that Dame Elan Closs Stephens, who is a non-executive director on the BBC board, is regarded as a "safe pair of hands", but apparently doesn't want to take on the role full time.

"Not again, BA!" exclaims the Daily Express headline. It says thousands of travellers have had their holiday plans "plunged into chaos", after British Airways cancelled nearly 200 flights following an IT system failure. BA has apologised. The Mirror suggests it is a good weekend for a "Bank holi-stay", with lots of sunshine forecast.