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When in Rome says Phillip Schofield deal has ‘drawn to a natural conclusion’
Sustainable wine company When in Rome has told db that its deal with Phillip Schofield has ‘drawn to a natural conclusion’.
In a statement, the firm said: “We have worked with Phillip Schofield on his range of Italian craft wines for three years and this collaboration has drawn to a natural conclusion.
“There are no further plans to continue filling the Schofield range for future orders.”
The news follows its partnership with the beleaguered TV and media personality on a range of Italian boxed-wines in 2020, and it has now removed the collection from its website, following stories regarding the alleged conduct of the former This Morning presenter.
The Italian wine range by Schofield was originally launched as a bag-in-box in early 2020, comprising a red, made with Nero de Troia, a white made with Falanghina, and a pale pink rosato made at the Viticultori d’Italia cooperative in Soave.
At the time of writing, the brands appear to have disappeared from When in Rome’s site with a message stating ‘there are no products in this collection’.
The ITV presenter got involved with When in Rome after learning about the brand at a Waitrose blind tasting, and was part of the tasting team, having been involved in selecting the wines from the get go.
Schofield was particularly passionate about the project and he told db during a release of the range in cardboard bottles “wouldn’t have just put my name on any wine” at the London Wine Fair last year, and it was “not just another celebrity wine brand”.
The news follows Waitrose de-listing the product last year, and original customer reviews which had labelled the wines as “overpriced”, “bitter” and “only fit for the bin”. Rob Malin, CEO of When in Rome, told db at the time that it “acknowledge(s) that there have been some negative reviews on the Phillip Schofield range since its launch, but these have been balanced out by a far larger number of positive reviews. And of course we think the recent Bronze award from the IWSC for our Phillip Schofield Falanghina speaks for itself – the first award ever won by a wine in a box.”
Jeremy Clarkson also remarking that the This Morning presenter’s wine range was “undrinkable” in December 2022.
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