Philip Schofield interview on BBC News/iplayer now.

[JeandeServiette]

Anyone else watching?

I wasn't supposed to be up this early but what the heck.

@mummymeister of course it's not great but he's saying that there was only career advice given at that age...if that's the case then there's nothing wrong with that? It doesn't look good, he knows that. However, what do we want to happen? That the media pummel him down to the point he takes his own life? for a mistake that was completely immoral but not illegal

Yes 61yr old successful man forced to admit sexual contact with a much younger junior at work, having lied about it for years. The same celeb who has made a career out of criticising every other celeb who steps out of line. Nothing to see here 🙄

His ridiculous overly acted interview with dramatic pauses and sad faces makes him look even worse. Perhaps he's hoping he'll get offered a part on Eastenders or something.

Really? you genuinely don't know why this is news . Rightyo

Did I miss something? I genuinely do not get why this is front page news and getting this kind of attention.

I ‘genuinely’ do not believe you.

'What Caroline Flack did was wrong, and she was hounded and broken until she saw no way out. '

CF had mental health problems for years, her sister said the tragedy was more a case of when not if.

PH may well have had mh problems, we don't know but he certainly didn't cone across as fragile like Caroline did, more arrogant and full of himself.

However, what do we want to happen?

The truth to be told?

I thinks its more salient to consider what he wants. What he wants is to dripfeed half a story then for everyone to #bekind.

I could care less about PS, front page news it's certainly not

His ridiculous overly acted interview with dramatic pauses and sad faces makes him look even worse. Perhaps he's hoping he'll get offered a part on Eastenders or something.

He's nowhere near good enough for Enders

I feel sorry for his ex wife and kids

I can’t believe PS justified the affair with ‘people with huge age gaps are attracted to each other’.

I knew a Headteacher (male) who had a couple of affairs with PGCE students (female) on placement. Nothing illegal. The women were 21/22. He was early 40s. I’m sure he justified it to himself by saying he was ‘attracted’ to them. Well, yeah; young people are attractive. Doesn’t make it okay to sleep with them when a) you’re two decades older and b) you’re in a position of power over them.

There should be more robust safeguarding in the workplace for under 25s in my opinion. What PS did was wholly, morally wrong. I don’t care if the young man knocked on PS’s dressing room door and offered himself up in a red bow. From someone who claims to have confusion and vulnerability around his own sexuality in his 50s, how can he justify taking advantage of a very young person likely experiencing similar confusion and vulnerability over their emerging sexuality whilst barely 20?

The thing is, now that Schofield's said he's felt suicidal, how on earth can MM come forward and say he was groomed etc? That's an enormous weight for MM to shoulder knowing it could tip Schofield over the edge.

And also, the one thing that would placate all this is MM doing an interview to say nothing inappropriate happened, he wasn't groomed, it was a consensual affair. So, as a very genuine question, why hasn't he done that? I know about the rumour of the NDA btw.

Yes. I also feel sorry for the junior. I do pity PS, but tbf many people's TV careers are over af 61 it isn't the tragedy he makes out.

He just needs to take the criticism, give it time and everyone will move on. Vaping, trying to look 'broken' whilst having a pity party has not helped.

This 👆 is the bottom line. Schofield knew better, he knew it was unacceptable, he made a conscious decision to do it anyway. Now he wants to justify it, there is no justification.

There really isn't any.

@Janiie sorry but you cannot say that because someone comes across as being arrogant that they don't have MH problems.

@Mrsjayy I don't think he can justify it at all. It was wrong. He's lost his career and a whole lot more besides but what else are the media after now??

Alison Hammond blubbing about "let he without sin cast the first stone" - give it a rest.

I'm far from perfect, but I've managed to avoid exploiting the vulnerable, taking a cest la vie attitude to a sibling's crimes, and by all accounts acting like a rude cunt to anyone who I didn't consider important enough to be civil to.

PS has been throwing his ego around for decades. Humiliating and exploiting guests for his and HW entertainment. Now the tables have turned he's sat there vaping for pity. Do you think he would have allowed his guests the same privilege of a stress crutch? No, he would watch them squirm with a grin on his face following his faux furrowed brow looks for the camera.

His arrogance saw him foolishly fall into the JS trap of thinking he is untouchable . He is not and now he's paying the price.

Thank god for the woke culture I say, it could have gone on for years and his position made him a very powerful predator indeed.

He's taken advantage of a star-struck teenager.
He's robbed his wife of genuine love and respect for over two decades, as well as his two children.

You may not pay at the time but the bill always comes out at the end.

I think people are projecting their moral outrage on to the young person. He was 20 and might well know his own mind!

For all we know he could have wanted a relationship with PS. He might have just fancied a fling with PS. We simply do not know what went on. I think we all need to hang fire until further professional investigations establish facts.

People are going for the kill without been privvy to all the information.

If Schofield is suffering mentally, he is rich enough to afford the appropriate support and care. He, despite these feelings, went ahead and did another interview today trying once again to minimise it and giving us a slightly different version to the story, as happens with serial liars and people who do things they should not. I am noticing a lot of men going to court for sexual crimes and violent crimes against women are being given lighter sentences because of the mental impact on them. This is what is now happening and I find it utterly depressing women are supporting this. You can be held fully responsible for your actions whilst also receiving care for your mental health if needed. Being found out when you do bad things is frightening, it is overwhelming and it can have an impact on you mentally. Its actually meant to be a deterrent, shame and guilt. Not something you use to minimise or get away with it.

Whilst I agree with a lot of what you say I'm not sure I agree with safeguarding for under 25s. I meant a 24 year is an adult and can make their own mistakes. I certainly did - at 19 I entered a serious relationship with an older, depressive man with a drink problem. The relationship was a disaster but still, I learnt from my mistakes. It gave me a much clearer idea of who I am and what I wanted in life. It was an unhealthy relationship but that in itself taught me what to avoid, what red flags to look out for. I don't think you can wrap people in their 20s up in cotton wool. They need to live and learn.

You insinuate I'm nit normal by your crass remake.

The whole sorry tale has been blown out of all proportion - just look at the newspapers front pages. All the while we still have war in Europe, an invasion of young men of our shores, that's just for starters.