Phillip Schofield relives agonising moment he told his heartbroken wife about affair with This Morning colleague
PHILLIP Schofield told how he broke news of his relationship to loyal wife of 30 years Steph, whom he has still not divorced.
The dad-of-two said: “She got off a plane and I phoned her up and texted saying, ‘I need to talk to you’.
“She called back and I told her. She was very, very angry.”
Phil said she had believed him when she asked previously about the rumours and he told her: “It’s untrue, it’s b*****ks.”
He added: “She is very, very angry but we spoke today. And my daughters were unbelievable.
“They are without question, our greatest asset. I always say our, but from a father’s point of view, my greatest asset are my girls.”
The Sun has not paid for the bombshell interview in which he:
- DETAILS his six-month romance, insisting: “I know the photos of us circulating on Twitter look shocking, but I’m not a groomer”;
- REVEALS he is still friends with the ex show runner, 30 years his junior who we are not naming, and says their romance only started once the man was 20 after “something just happened between us that changed everything”;
- OFFERS a huge apology to former co-host Holly Willoughby for ruining their TV partnership, and confirms the pair no longer speak;
- ADMITS he has not watched a single This Morning since his resignation, so missed a slightly-stilted tribute from stand-ins Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary. He says: “I can’t watch it. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to again”.
Schofield has admitted lying to cover up the affair which sparked a tumultuous week, with ITV bosses being accused of hiding the facts.
With his career in tatters, he has decided to put the record straight by speaking to The Sun and the BBC’s Amol Rajan.
Addressing lurid allegations and rumours posted online, Schofield insisted his former boyfriend did not receive a penny in “hush” money.
He said no non-disclosure agreement was ever signed that would have prevented the man from speaking out.
Yesterday it was confirmed that ITV boss Dame Carolyn McCall has been summoned to Parliament to be grilled on safeguarding. The Culture, Media and Sport Committee wants to quiz her next Wednesday.
And Holly was seen for the first time after spending the week hiding out at her £8million Algarve bolthole with family.