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Original poster

Phillip Schofield has come out as gay

999 replies

catinb0oots · 07/02/2020 09:59

Blimey. Married for 27 years.

OP posts:
GetOffYourHighHorse · 07/02/2020 16:06

'And the likely hood is there is a bigger story about to come out and he's trying to control the narrative.'

Yes you'd think so, but he said categorically not. He said nothing has 'forced his hand' when Holly asked why announce this now. He'll look silly if there's a big reveal from a bf in the Sunday papers.

I found it interesting how his mannerisms seemed to change completely, lots of hand flapping and slightly camp gestures. Obviously he was overwhelmed but as said, why do it live on national telly.

Thefaceofboe · 07/02/2020 16:06

Some of these comments are disgusting

Shinycat · 07/02/2020 16:06

Poor guy. Must have been so tough for him to do this. It's no surprise that he stayed quiet about it, as even in 2020, homophobia is RIFE. (As comments from some vile bigots on this thread, and lots of comments from other vile bigots on social media proves!) Some comments have been nothing short of disgusting.

I feel for his wife and kids and hope they can all get through it. His wife has been very supportive, and so have his (adult) children, and he has lots of supportive friends and colleagues. So I think he will be OK... Smile

I hope he finds peace, and that he (and his family) are all very happy. Smile

I saw it on telly this morning, and it was very moving to watch. I have been getting a bit tired of seeing Phil and Holly this past year or so, and had gone off them a little bit, but after seeing the feature on 'This morning,' I have a new found love and respect for them.

Good luck Phil. Flowers

And by the way, if Phil HAS had any past (gay) encounters, it's got fuck-all to do with anyone else except him and his wife, so people need to STFU speculating about that shit, and mind their own business. Hmm

@PinkShinyFlowers

I’m surprised, and I’d be pretty furious and unforgiving if my husband did this.

Don't be ridiculous. Do you think he didn't discuss 'coming out on national television' with his wife first?!

Stupid comment. Hmm

Lardlizard · 07/02/2020 16:06

It does seem strange timing now there’s been various members of the Tm family, I mean cringe at that, but he seems so untrust worthy now to hide that for so long
Feel so sorry for his wife

JolieOBrien · 07/02/2020 16:06

I think someone was going to disclose he was gay or he has a boyfriend and someone found out about it probably a journalist. This is the reason he has decided to come out. I feel so sorry for his wife because her marriage has been a sham. I don't understand why men have to hide the fact they are gay these days and why he did he not admit it when he was in the broom cupboard because that was when I thought he was gay. The next disclosure will be who his boyfriend is. They should now divorce so his wife can move on with her life and he can move on with his.

speakout · 07/02/2020 16:06

I haven't read the whole thread but can someone tell me why this is newsworthy?
Is he being blackmailed? Has he just told his wife?

Many bi people have long term relationships- often with children. I would suggest that a good majority of us are bisexual - even if just to a small extent.

I mean why now? Is he leaving his wife? Does he now "need" a homosexual affair? Has he been having affairs while still married?

I am struggling to understand.

Logfootlightoe · 07/02/2020 16:07

I remember the terror of coming out in the 90s to my friends ( lost more than half of them immediately) and my family ( were brilliant) and that wasn't on telly, I was young, and involved no-one but myself.
It wasn't and easy thing for him to do.

Lardlizard · 07/02/2020 16:08

“ I always feel like when men do this and talk about their amazing wife it's a bit gaslighty to make out it's all hunky dory and everyone's happy. She must be gutted - 27 years of marriage over and she's supposed to smile along and pretend to be ok with it sad“

100 percent agree did not like that way this was handled at all
Seemed very fake and slimey and I agree has lighting-y

smotheroffive · 07/02/2020 16:10

Stephanie is brave, his kids are brave, and all caught up in his personal management of his sexual orientation, which is nobodys business!

I feel sad for Stephanie, although shes now free to have other relationships, and she's certainly not a 'frump', a mysogynistic term for an appearance that somehow isn't womanning properly Hmm

I hope that Stephanie doesn't spend a moment longer doing anything except putting her needs and desires first, and heloing her dc through this public media event her stbx has created.

He could have just got on with this quietly, but chose not to...why...for whose benefit?

What does it matter if hes gay ffs? Noone cares.

However, sad for broken family as a result.

Hi hope Stephanie has plenty of support, because it isn't all about him being ok, this is something hes done to her.

Logfootlightoe · 07/02/2020 16:10

'I don't understand why men have to hide the fact they are gay these days'

Go and have a read of this entire thread, then you might have an inkling.

Or read this:

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/gay-lgbt-hate-crimes-stats-rise-four-year-physical-verbal-homophobic-abuse-community-a7933126.html

karencantobe · 07/02/2020 16:11

Lots of men and women in showbusiness have beards. This may have been an arrangement. We don't know.

smotheroffive · 07/02/2020 16:11

Poor poor him everyone run off and weep, NOT!

Logfootlightoe · 07/02/2020 16:12

I have to say my first thought was of the married friend who's come out and is struggling, and keeping it 'quiet' for the sake of her ( supportive) family and soon to be ex-hubby. I wonder if this will help her, or her wider family when they find out, to realise that this happens and she's not the only one...

WhereShallWeMoveTo · 07/02/2020 16:13

Does his wife know?

I would think so, wouldn’t you? If not then it’s a pretty shit way to tell her.

Whattheduck · 07/02/2020 16:13

Can’t say I’m surprised tbh

smotheroffive · 07/02/2020 16:14

Lots of men and women in showbusiness have beards.

Was this a typo? I'm a bit Confused that you would have been saying any women have actually got beards, I can't seem to grow one? Am I missing something? I literally have never seen a woman with a beard, wasnt this why they were a circus curio?

NameChange84 · 07/02/2020 16:16

A “beard” is a man or woman who acts as a homosexual person’s wife or husband in order to cover for the fact that they are gay and maintain the illusion of a heterosexual marriage. One or both parties in the marriage could be gay.

SoupDragon · 07/02/2020 16:20

Oh right so marrying a woman and having children whilst struggling with your sexuality and eventually leaving them isn't gaslighting?

No it isn't actually.

Didkdt · 07/02/2020 16:21

I think Eamon Holmes response to it all was a bit telling a couple of jokes about hot tubs and getting his job
In all honesty if Philip Schofield was on the cusp of being sacked this would be quite a good way to head it off for a while.

SapatSea · 07/02/2020 16:23

He may not be being blackmailed by the media. I've worked in this area and the fifties are a transition decade nowadays, children leaving home (his dd's are in their 20's), procreation days behind. Many women I've seen, although not lesbian when younger want to explore that now (as the "sheen" has worn off dating men), some men want to explore male sex as they identify more strongly with that at this stage in life. Some say they have always felt they were gay, it may be true but for some it may be expedient to believe that in the now, we all change, "the past is a different country".

I agree there was no need for a big "coming out" celebfest, his career is safe now as "brave Pip" will trump accusations of bullying and arrogance. Lots of positive attention and affirmation. People should just live their lives how they like, as they have every legal right to do so in our society, no need to crow, men and their pen**es!

smotheroffive · 07/02/2020 16:24

Blush oh ha Grin. Thank you for explaining

maddy68 · 07/02/2020 16:25

How lovely that his wife and children have been do supportive. Hopefully it'll give courage to others who are living a lie

MimiLaRue · 07/02/2020 16:26

Whenever this happens, the person coming out aways gets tons of support and love (which is right of course).

But what about their spouse? noone ever mentions them. They always seem to get forgotten and never mentioned, but what about them? their marriage has essentially been a lie. Doesnt everyone deserve someone who genuinely finds them attractive and gorgeous? I would be devastated if this happened to me.

IJumpedAboardAPirateShip · 07/02/2020 16:29

God there are some deeply unempathetic people on this thread. Firstly can’t you even conceive of how hard this has been for him? He’s 57, he was born into a world where to be gay meant you were a criminal, it’s hard enough for kids now to come out STILL due to so much violence and judgement on the LGBT community.

And so patronising towards his wife - they probably wrote that statement together FFS. I ho early can’t imagine a world in which my husband would come out and I would be anything but supportive because to know the person you love has been in so much mental torment for so long surely can’t bring out any feelings other than wanting to protect them and care for them? She doesn’t need your pity, the way some posters are painting “poor old Stephanie” is frankly misogynistic

And finally, it is newsworthy - he is a public figure and every public figure that comes out shows another scared kid out there that it’s ok

smotheroffive · 07/02/2020 16:29

Oh right so marrying a woman and having children whilst struggling with your sexuality and eventually leaving them isn't gaslighting?

No it isn't actually

It is being deliberately deceptive unless he was open about it, so itsna very close cousin to gaslighting which has the pleasant addition of motivation to make someone doubt their own mind [which such circumstances can also do, its debatable whether someone would go to these lengths, but its feasible they could, just not as likely as being motivated by self-serving)

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