PHILLIP Schofield has thanked his fans and urged others to speak out themselves after he bravely revealed he is gay on live TV today.
The 57-year-old presenter released an emotional statement on Instagram minutes before appearing on This Morning.
He fought back tears while praising his “incredible” wife of 27 years Stephanie Lowe and daughters for their support.
Phillip immediately received a wealth of support from fans and fellow celebs praising him for his courage in speaking out and has now thanked them on Instagram.
Posting a statement on social media tonight, which included a picture of a rainbow and a heart, he said: “You will never know how important your support has been today, I’ve read as much as I can.
“Please please, no matter your age or your thoughts, TALK to someone, don’t let your head beat you and hopefully you’ll find out that your friends and family have a remarkable ability to surprise you with their love and understanding.
“#bekind”.
Phillip today opened up to friend and co-host Holly Willoughby as he described his “inner conflict” on ITV’s This Morning.
Fighting back tears, the much-loved presenter said he was aware of the “pain and upset” caused but that it had consumed him for years.
But he said his wife Steph had been “simply astonishing” while his daughters Ruby, 24, and Molly, 27, had immediately wrapped him in a “big and long” hug when he told them.
It came as…
In an incredibly moving interview this morning, he told fellow This Morning host Holly: “It’s tough but this is not something that’s happened quickly, I’ve had to deal this in my head for quite some time.
“I got to the stage where I thought we sit here, every day, and some amazingly brave person is sitting over there and I’m thinking ‘I have to be that person’.
“All you can be in your life is honest with yourself. I was getting to a stage in my life where I was thinking I don’t really like myself because I’m not being honest with myself.
“We always say ‘talk to someone’ and you must talk to someone. It’s brought me back from some dark places and in some cases talking to people saves you.”
In emotional live-on-air scenes, he then hugged Holly, who vowed she would always sit next to him and be there “forever and ever”.
As Phillip said he “couldn’t have done it” without his friend and co-host, she told him: “Come and sit here now, where you should be” – moving him to sit next to her on the couch.
Holly, wiping away tears, held hands with Phillip on the sofa as he told her she was the “sister he never had”.
And Holly, 38, said she could feel the “relief” from Phillip after he bravely opened up.
In the raw interview, Phillip, who married Stephanie in March 1993, said he had felt “overriding guilt” over the impact his statement would have on his wife and daughters.
But he said they had immediately supported him, describing wife Steph as the “kindest soul” he had ever met.
Wearing his wedding ring as he sat down to make the announcement today, he said he had “never had any secrets” from his wife – saying the relationship was always “honest and open”.
With the strength and support of my wife and my daughters, I have been coming to the terms with the fact that I am gay.
Phillip Schofield
He said: “We’ll always be a family. Always, us four, is what we call ourselves.”
Phillip, who said his family was watching the live interview from home, also revealed the moment he told his mum Pat Wallingford – who supportively told him she “didn’t care”.
And Phillip said he had started to feel “lighter” after telling his family and friends – saying talking about these things “saves you”.
He said he had not been forced to make the announcement, saying the “time was right”.
But when Holly asked him about any future relationships, 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, this was the big day, and this was the day I knew that everything was pointing towards.
“I could not have done it if it hadn’t been for you, so afterwards I don’t know, there’s no one, I’m not rushing to anybody.”
After the moving sitdown, fellow hosts Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes immediately hugged Phillip, vowing they would be the “first to stand by you”.
The presenter has received a raft of support from his celeb pals including David Walliams, Susanna Reid and Ant and Dec.
Ant and Dec said: “Huge respect and admiration for our friend @Schofe. Sending love to you P, and to your 3 lovely girls”
David Walliams lent his support: “I am sending all my love to @Schofe today. I have always held him in the highest regard, ans now have nothing but respect and admiration for him. Let’s hope we are moving towards a world where no-one has to come out anymore, they can just be who they are and celebrate that. [sic.]”
Susanna Reid supported her ITV co-star: “Love to @Schofe and his family”
