Schofield: ‘I have been coming to terms with the fact that I am gay’
TV presenter Phillip Schofield became emotional and said he “wasn’t being honest with myself ” as he talked publicly about his sexuality for the first time.
The This Morning host spoke to his co-presenter, Holly Willoughby, on the ITV show after revealing on his Instagram stories that he had “been coming to terms with the fact that I am gay”.
Schofield, who has been a fixture on the programme since 2002, has been married to wife Steph for more than 20 years and they have two daughters – Molly and Ruby.
He and willoughby appeared as guests on the show, which on a Friday morning is normally hosted by Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford.
The 57-year-old spoke of the support he has received, telling Willoughby: “It’s funny because everyone I have spokento, you have all been so supportive, so loving and caring.
“My entire family, to a person, have grabbed us and said ‘It’s OK, we love you, we are proud of you’, and every person I tell, it gets a little lighter and a little lighter.
“But at the same time I’ve made this decision, which is essential for me and for my head, which is the reason why I’ve done this, I’m very aware that Steph and the girls are at home watching this. They have been supporting this as we got to this moment.”
He added that while he felt “a little lighter” having made the announcement, he was also “very aware, there is no question that it causes pain and it causes upset”.
He said he has “no secrets” from his wife, adding: “We have never had any secrets.
“It’s tough, this is not something that has happened quickly, I’ve had to deal with this in my head for quite some time. We’ve been honest and open.”
After Willoughby commented
that he had not had his “hand forced” to make the announcement, he said: “This is my decision. this is absolutely my decision. It was something I knew that I had to do.
“And I don’t know what the world will be like … I don’t know how this will be taken or what people will think. But what I would say is, yes, I am very, very conscious of
the hurt and so my overriding emotion for my family is obviously going to be guilt because I do feel guilty that this can’t be anything other than a painful process.”
Before being joined by Holmes and Langsford on the show, he added: “All you can be in your life is honest with yourself and I was getting to the point where I wasn’t being honest with myself and I didn’t like myself very much because I wasn’t being honest with myself.”
Following a round of hugs, Holmes praised him, saying: “Nobody should be embarrassed about their sexuality and it’s fantastic you have spoken out.”