Phil and Steph’s ‘painful’ divorce talks
‘She has been so supportive’ This Morning star reportedly happy to split his £9m fortune as he buys new house
Phillip Schofield coming out as gay shocked the showbiz world, and eight months on, he and wife Steph Lowe have finally discussed divorce. The This Morning host revealed live on the show that he had struggled with his sexuality, but said at the time, he and Steph were not planning to split. However, now the pair look ready to take the plunge.
A source told a newspaper that after
27 years, the 58 year old’s marriage is close to being over, shortly after reports came out that he was building a “bachelor pad” out of a garage at their house. He’s also reportedly bought a £2million home in London’s
Chiswick, close to pal Holly Willoughby, who was seen cycling around the area with Phil as the news of his purchase broke.
The insider said, “Phillip and Steph have had a lot of hard, painful conversations over the past months, but remain as tight and devoted to one another as ever. She has been so supportive, and he won’t skip off into the sunset now and abandon her. At the same time, he has no desire to become embroiled in a bitter and costly divorce battle.” As such, he is reportedly happy for them to split his £9million fortune, with the understanding that neither of them will discuss their private life in public.
His new home, a two-bed semi-detached property, features a gorgeous large conservatory and a fullyfitted modern kitchen, in addition to two sitting rooms. A local source said, “There are quite a few famous people already living around here, so Phillip Schofield moving in is not a big deal. A lot of people have been talking about it, but nobody bothers him. He’s a lovely bloke, and I’m sure he’ll enjoy living in our community.”
He and Steph, who have two grown-up daughters – Molly, 27, and Ruby, 24 – are said to be keen to avoid the kind of messy split that his friend Ant McPartlin went through when he broke up with his wife Lisa Armstrong. Just a couple of weeks ago, Lisa chucked Ant’s belongings out on the street months after their divorce had been finalised. The source went on to tell The Sun, “Phillip is in no hurry to meet someone new, but obviously the ‘D word’ has now been brought up, albeit in very loose and casual terms. His earning power is at an alltime high, and Steph is entitled to half. He is not disputing this – all he wants in return is her ongoing loyalty and discretion. His family is his number-one priority, and that will never change.” According
to the paper, he is keen to avoid the need to sign a NDA (non-disclosure agreement) and no plans have been made for Steph – who has never spoken publicly about their relationship – to sign one.
As well as navigating this legal process, Phil has a busy time coming up. He recorded a new series of The Cube in August, which is expected to air in the autumn, has a gin advent calendar coming up, continues to work on lucrative sponsorship deals with various brands, and his autobiography Life Is What You Make It is due to hit shelves in October. While he is expected to discuss the revelation about his sexuality, it is not the central issue of the book. The source added, “The gay stuff is all handled in a pretty matter-offact way. There is absolutely no sensationalism. Phillip makes it very clear that he has been devoted to Steph, despite his inner conflict, and there is no suggestion of any cheating.” It is said to be full of showbiz anecdotes and stories from his more than 30 years in the public eye.
Phil confirmed in a post on Instagram that he is gay on 8 February this year, and within minutes, it was announced he would be doing a sit-down chat with his long-term This Morning co-host Holly Willoughby about it. His voice cracking, he said, “This is tough, this is not something that has happened quickly. I’ve had to deal with this in my head for quite some time.” Discussing his wife Steph, he said, “We have gone through this together. We have been very open and very honest.” On telling his daughters, he said, “I sat them down and I told them, and they jumped up and gave me a big hug, a long hug, and then they hugged Steph and said, ‘It’s OK, it’s OK, this is fine. We’ll be OK. We’ll always be a family.’” He also confessed he was not in the headspace for a relationship when quizzed by Holly. He said, “I don’t think so, I’m not thinking there. I’m doing each day at a time now. And this has always been a slow process, and there’s no fast process after. There’s no one. I’m not rushing to anybody.”
His announcement was made on a Friday, traditionally when Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes host the show. They revealed he was to make a statement, and despite rumours of bad blood between the pair and Phil, they all hugged and chatted afterwards, with Eamonn even making a joke that he’d wondered how Phil and Holly had been pictured in a hot tub together without their partners being jealous. It had been suggested that Ruth was one of a number of ITV presenters who had complained about Phil’s behaviour after he cut her off from a Loose Women handover. It was also said that the pair had a bust-up at the National Television Awards earlier this year when This Morning won a gong. However, it now seems that is all in the past.
While the next few months will no doubt be difficult for both Phil and Steph, they have the support of family and friends who wish them both nothing but happiness.
‘We have been very open’