Phillip Schofield has revealed he is gay on social media today, following up the news with an interview with friend and co-star Holly Willoughby.
The This Morning presenter broke the news this morning on Snapchat and Instagram.
He wrote: “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.”
Read More: Phillip Schofield’s statement in full as he reveals he is gay
He added: “This is something that has caused many heart-breaking conversations at home. I have been married to Steph for nearly 27 years, and we have two beautiful grown-up daughters, Molly and Ruby.
“My family have held me so close: they have tried to cheer me up, to smother me with kindness and love, despite their own confusion.
“Yet I still can’t sleep and there have been some very dark moments.”
Yet I still can’t sleep and there have been some very dark moments
Phillip has been married to his wife Stephanie Lowe for 27 years, after they met at work.
They have two daughters together, Ruby, 24, and Molly, 27.
Phillip’s announcement comes just a few weeks shy of the couple’s 27th wedding anniversary on March 30.
Speaking to co-star Holly Willoughby during a special interview during This Morning today, he explained that keeping this to himself had been bothering him for some time.
“It’s tough but this is not something that’s happened quickly, I’ve had to deal with 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’.
Phil admitted that he’d reached the point where he didn’t like himself because he wasn’t being honest.
This was my decision, this was something I knew I had to do
“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,” he continued.
“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.”
“This was my decision, this was something I knew I had to do,” Phil added, as Holly explained that he hadn’t had his hand forced to speak out.
Speaking of the moment he told his mum, Phil shared her answer: “She said, ‘Oh, okay, I don’t care!'”
He also spoke of telling his daughters, who have been supportive, and assured that they would always be a family.
As Holly brought her interview to an end, Friday’s usual presenters Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes then came on-set.
Read More: Fans flood Phillip Schofield with messages of support as he announces he’s gay
Eamonn and Ruth shared a massive hug with Phil
Notably, Ruth – who has been at the centre of feud rumours – and Eamonn both embraced him.
More news as we have it.
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