Schofield’s wife: It has been so painful since he came out
THE wife of Phillip schofield has told how they have both been going through an ‘emotionally painful time’ since he came out as gay.
Stephanie lowe broke her silence following the shock television revelation by the this morning host on Friday.
‘We’ve had to face the most emotionally painful time in our 27 years of marriage,’ she told the sun on sunday.
miss lowe, 56, is not expected to file for divorce in the near future and already knew that her husband was gay when he came out to the nation.
In an interview with the tabloid, schofield added: ‘she has known for a while. When you live with someone you know these things don’t you? We sat down and we talked and then she left me to have space.’
the pair are yet to decide if they will officially end their marriage and appear to still be living together at their home in Henley-on-thames, Oxfordshire.
The ITV presenter said he was ‘naive’ to suppress his sexuality for so long and knew he may have been gay at his 1993 wedding.
The 57-year-old said he had tried to stifle his ‘confusion’ over his sexual orientation as getting married was a ‘joyous time’.
At first, added schofield, he thought he was bisexual before fully coming to terms with being gay.
‘I admit I was perhaps a bit naive. But when we got married, it was a joyous time and it wasn’t a consideration in my head.
‘I was so, so happy when we had the girls and then bringing them up,’ he said.
Raising daughters molly, 27, and ruby, 24, had made him feel like he had the ‘perfect life’.
Schofield added: ‘ you never know what is going on in someone’s head when you think they are leading the perfect life.
‘And I was. But then it was there. I was confused by what it was. I thought maybe I was bisexual. But over time I realised and started coming to terms with it. and I realised I had to be honest with myself.’ He said he is no longer confused: ‘If you ask anyone who is gay, they know, there is no confusion.’
speaking on how hiding his sexuality has affected his mental health, schofield said he had sought therapy after things had got ‘ very dark’ and he had become ‘depressed’.
During his candid TV interview, schofield was supported by on- air partner Holly Willoughby as he tearfully told of his overriding ‘guilt’ when telling his family he was gay.
On Instagram, he also posted: ‘With the strength and support of my wife and my daughters, I have been coming to terms with the fact that I am gay.’
Daughter molly showed her support on social media over the weekend, posting: ‘love you always, so proud of you.’
last night schofield was given an enormous cheer by the audience at Dancing On Ice as he opened the live show with miss Willoughby.
Judge ashley Banjo also told him: ‘you have always been an absolute legend but never more so than this week, my friend.’
‘and I think I speak for everyone when I say we’ve got nothing but love and respect for you.’ schofield joked: ‘It’s not about me! It’s not about me!’
‘I realised I had to be honest with myself’