Phillip Schofield has been pictured in London for one of the first times since news of his This Morning scandal two months ago, being seen enjoying the sun in a beer garden. However, this comes as he reportedly fears he’ll never work in showbiz again.
Despite a turbulent few months, however, Phillip has been able to rely on support from some famous friends. Here are all the people in the public eye who’ve stood by him during recent events.
Phillip Schofield news: Out with Vanessa Feltz
Earlier this month, Phil was seen with famous pal Vanessa as they met up for dinner. They both appeared happy, and shared a hug.
It’s thought that Vanessa has supported Phil ever since he left This Morning as his “unwise but not illegal” affair with a younger colleague came to light. She’s also discussed the “toxic” atmosphere on This Morning, and has defended Phillip’s former co-host Holly Willoughby too.
Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary
After Phil’s interview in which he opened up about his suicidal thoughts, Alison broke down in tears while hosting this morning with Dermot. She said: “Obviously, I loved Phillip Schofield. And it’s weird, because I still love Phillip Schofield.
“However, what he’s done is wrong. He’s admitted it. He’s said sorry. There’s so much a man can take, and I don’t want any death in this situation.”
Meanwhile, Dermot originally refused to comment, but described Phil as a “friend and colleague”.
Glyes Brandreth
The same day, regular This Morning star Gyles said that he felt “sympathy” towards Phil during his interview. He said on TV: “We are dealing with a human being that all of us here have known and liked over many years. So it makes it difficult for us. I mean there has been clearly an error of judgment at least here, which he admits to.”
He then tweeted a Henry James quote, which many people took to be about Phil. He wrote: “Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind.”
Piers Morgan offers support in wake of Phillip Schofield news
Former ITV stalwart Piers took to Twitter to defend Phil. He urged people to stop the “relentless persecution” of the former This Morning co-host.
Piers wrote: “Unless Phillip Schofield’s ex-lover contradicts his version of events to The Sun and BBC, then it’s time to stop this relentless persecution of a guy who’s lost everything and looks right on the edge to me. He doesn’t seem to have committed any crime, and he’s not a Govt minister.”
Dan Walker
Current 5 News presenter Dan took to Instagram to share his thoughts on the controversy. He said: “I really hope the issues at This Morning are investigated and resolved. Hope that the individuals involved get the help they need and the show stays on air. I also hope the relentless hounding from some elements of the media stops. People are clearly on the edge.”
Jeremy Clarkson
The Grand Tour star Jeremy said that while he doesn’t know Phil, or have any “skin in the fight”, he’d “never seen a witch-hunt like it”. He wrote in his Sunday Times column: “He maintains that his lover was over the age of consent when their relationship became physical, but that hasn’t silenced the howls of disgust.
“And I find that weird. We casually roll our eyes when we hear that Leonardo DiCaprio’s new girlfriend is three and we even nod appreciatively when we learn that the age gap between Al Pacino and his pregnant girlfriend is 54 years.”
Richard Bacon
Former The Big Breakfast and Top of the Pops presenter Richard, who was sacked from Blue Peter in 1998 after admitting using cocaine, supported Phil on Twitter.
Sharing a news story regarding his interview, he wrote: “It’s time to stop piling in on this human being.”
Read more: Every single Phillip Schofield replacement on This Morning ranked (look away Dermot O’Leary!)
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