Mail Online

Did Phil come out fearing affair was to be exposed?

By Ian Gallagher

IT WASN’T only viewers Phillip Schofield stunned three years ago when he announced he was gay live on This Morning.

Even fellow presenters Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford knew nothing of the star’s admission until minutes before the cameras started rolling. Which rather suggested something had happened to force the veteran presenter’s hand. The question on the lips of many was: Why now?

Friends and colleagues are currently reappraising Schofield’s dramatic 2020 announcement, which was accompanied by tears and a promise to ‘celebrate and be proud’ of his sexuality, in light of the events of the past few days.

At the time, although he would not admit it, Schofield had had a relationship with a much younger male colleague.

The production assistant’s behaviour had initially given bosses cause for concern at the January 2020

National Television Awards when he declared his love for Schofield.

Insiders say there was increasing worry among ITV bosses about the man’s intentions: Was he planning to spill the beans – or was someone else?

Schofield came out the following month and sources believe he did this because he feared exposure by his young former lover.

Writing yesterday for MailOnline, columnist Dan Wootton said of the NTA ceremony: ‘There was an altercation between the [lover] and both Phillip and Holly separately, witnessed by senior ITV staff... including the high powered director of television Kevin Lygo.

‘I spoke to the [lover] that night and was incredibly concerned about how badly the growing scandal had impacted both his mental and physical health…

‘Phillip clearly knew the story wasn’t going away so just a week later made his decision to come out on the This Morning sofa.’

Schofield told viewers that morning, with co-presenter Holly Willoughby by his side: ‘You never know what’s going on in someone’s seemingly perfect life, what issues they are struggling with, or the state of their wellbeing – and so you won’t know what has been consuming me for the last few years.

‘With the strength and support of my wife and my daughters, I have been coming to terms with the fact that I am gay. This is something that has caused many heart-breaking conversations at home.

‘I have been married to Steph for nearly 27 years, and we have two beautiful grown-up daughters… My family have held me so close: they have tried to cheer me up, to smother me with kindness and love, despite their own confusion.’

The announcement was followed by a deal – encouraged by ITV bosses – with a national newspaper for an exclusive interview with the This Morning presenter. Insiders believe this was an attempt to scupper any possible plans by his lover to go public first.

As it transpired, he had no intention of doing so.

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2023-05-28T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-05-28T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://mailonline.pressreader.com/article/281629604645643

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