Page 18 | Philip Schofield interview on BBC News/iplayer now.

JeandeServiette · 2023-06-02T05:04:04+00:00

Anyone else watching? I wasn't supposed to be up this early but what the heck.

notnewgoldenoldie · 02/06/2023 13:30

NeedToThinkOfOne · 02/06/2023 13:28

And so the ugly thread continues. Some people really don’t grasp that social media is the equivalent of talking direct to a person. The very thing you are accusing PS of doing to a person who was signed up to social media as a mechanism to talk to a famous person he obviously admired. The ‘victim’ could do that from age 13/14 according to social media companies. Perhaps those of you accusing others of not understanding grooming, don’t have a grasp of what children and young adults are ‘allowed’ to do. Ask yourself if anyone under the age of consent IRL should be allowed to talk to adults on social media?

Did PS do anything illegal by talking to him on there? The grooming label you are freely and easily attaching to someone without hearing any evidence is concerning. Why not use your energy to call out the sm platforms who manipulate our children and young people every day?

PS himself admitted it was wrong.
PS himself had to make a disclaimer that it "wasn't illegal"
Who has to do that when discussing an innocent fling or affair?

Mrsjayy · 02/06/2023 13:30

He was chatting to him online building up a relationship with a teenager flattering him perhaps or offering a job telling them they are great blah blah . This is how grooming works it's not always underage sex or "abuse" but I expect the posters who are "baffled" know this.

ThreeRingCircus · 02/06/2023 13:31

TheFTrain · 02/06/2023 12:23

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.

I think Phil and his team knew exactly what they were doing with the suicidal threats. It's an attempt to silence and you're spot on, silences MM. It's manipulative.

GoField · 02/06/2023 13:34

If he thinks no one else knew then he’s an idiot. TV studios are busy, gossipy places where people become privy to the details of celebrity lives by working alongside them - doing their hair and make-up, getting their coffees and lunch, emptying the bins in their dressing rooms and putting in fresh flowers, ordering their cars and dropping them off here and there.

A Runner is in demand for all sorts of tasks on a studio set from standing in for presenters when setting up camera positions, being on call for whatever task needs doing. I would be VERY surprised if no one had noticed him disappearing off set and being behind the closed door of PS’s dressing room, while PS was in there alone. Of course every occasion they were ‘romantic’ may have been an opportunistic, heat-of-the moment thing after the runner had been despatched to ‘run through the schedule’ with PS but someone would have noticed surely?

And it must have changed the chemistry between them once it had happened which most people notice. Any time I’ve been in a workplace and people have been having an affair, it was usually common knowledge and we’d all be rolling our eyes behind the backs of the couple who thought they were being oh so discreet when they engineered some situation that meant they had to work together or attend the same event etc…

PS knew he was playing with fire but he didn’t stop did he? Let’s get the Runner dressed up as an elf shall we and give him a wee tot of whisky live on air…Let’s invite him along to the Awards ceremony and get him up on stage when we win. I bet the Runner thought he was in a relationship even if PS didn’t.

I’m not sure if it was overt grooming because he was 19/20 but it was certainly duplicitous, manipulative, egotistical, selfish behaviour on PS’ part. If I was MM I would be getting my own legal advice and not have PS ‘manage’ his life in any way. But then he’s not a rich man is he - he can’t afford his own lawyers. I wonder if there are huge amounts of money being dangled in front of him to tell his story. I bet PS is sxxxting himself about that - even if what happened was ‘legal’ - the details will be uncomfortable enough.

Iwantcakeeveryday · 02/06/2023 13:36

NeedToThinkOfOne · 02/06/2023 13:28

And so the ugly thread continues. Some people really don’t grasp that social media is the equivalent of talking direct to a person. The very thing you are accusing PS of doing to a person who was signed up to social media as a mechanism to talk to a famous person he obviously admired. The ‘victim’ could do that from age 13/14 according to social media companies. Perhaps those of you accusing others of not understanding grooming, don’t have a grasp of what children and young adults are ‘allowed’ to do. Ask yourself if anyone under the age of consent IRL should be allowed to talk to adults on social media?

Did PS do anything illegal by talking to him on there? The grooming label you are freely and easily attaching to someone without hearing any evidence is concerning. Why not use your energy to call out the sm platforms who manipulate our children and young people every day?

The only ugly thing I see, is the shaming of normal concerned parents ( and some professionals ) reacting to what is known, accepted and dangerous signs of grooming. The fact he chatted to him online is a red flag, he knew his age because he already met him. I do not knowingly strike up friendships with children online and I do not know anyone who does or thinks its ok. He also kept it all secret. The issue is, it went further, that's the pattern that most concerns everyone. Groomers engage them young and then it leads to sexual relationships where the balance of power lies firmly with the much older person who has influenced them since they were vulnerable children. You seem to be missing out this important fact, the relationship turned sexual.

StellaAndCrow · 02/06/2023 13:36

"Did you love him?"
"No"

That's harsh.

MyOtherCarIsAPorsche · 02/06/2023 13:46

StellaAndCrow · 02/06/2023 13:21

How can anyone watch this and not think - this is well dodgy - 20 yr old, few months at tv then 40 odd yr old man has sex with him in the dressing room - 4 or 5 times?

And how must it be for young man to hear how much PS thinks it was a mistake and they were never in a relationship?

MM would have been 20 in 2016 - so PS would have been 54.

NeedToThinkOfOne · 02/06/2023 14:00

I do not knowingly strike up friendships with children online and I do not know anyone who does or thinks its ok.

and therein lies a fundamental problem with our society today. How many of you allow your children freely on social media? I know 10 and 11yo with TikTok accounts, Instagram and several other accounts which market themselves as ‘safe’ for children. I’m not dismissing any behaviour by PS, but I am saying you can’t just label it grooming when there’s platforms which not only enable communication but there’s also nothing illegal about it. We’ve normalised it as a society now, so children won’t see it as grooming and their parents are all over it, in many cases igniting affairs etc.

Redshoeblueshoe · 02/06/2023 14:11

I can't believe that no one has mentioned - when he was asked if he PM'd him on Twitter he said no, then said - well only a couple of times.

PS is the one who has kept coming out with statements, and he did the interview. If he wanted it to all go away he should have gone on a very long holiday, and kept himself to himself.

Suicidal - not buying it.

MissyB1 · 02/06/2023 14:14

StellaAndCrow · 02/06/2023 13:36

"Did you love him?"
"No"

That's harsh.

Well of course he didn’t love him. He was using him and exploiting him.

toomuchlaundry · 02/06/2023 14:17

@NeedToThinkOfOne when DS was in Y6 a number of his year group got mobile phones and were on Instagram. It was all about the followers and DH got lots of follower requests from 10/11 year old girls. He rejected all of them as he didn't think that was right, even if he knew them in our circle of friends

hlc123 · 02/06/2023 14:24

I am really confused why this is all blowing up now when I and many others have known about and had seen photos/ showreels of 'the young colleague' from posts on twitter 3 years ago? And if I (with no TV/ celebrity connections) knew, those that say they didn't know are obviously lying! I think there is still a lot that the public don't know.

I feel really sorry for Phillip Schofield's wife, daughers and especially his Mum, and hope the young man is getting the support he needs.

CurlewKate · 02/06/2023 14:25

I find it extraordinary that a man who has worked with children would add a child on Twitter. And if he did but had no interest in him, he would still remember who he was 5 years later.

pilates · 02/06/2023 14:31

I think it was a mistake to do the interview. It felt too contrived for my liking - damage limitation springs to mind. He was very quick to drop his brother but is now acting the victim about his behaviour. Let’s hope the investigation brings it all out in the open. If you do an advanced search on here for PS people have been talking about his seedy behaviour for years. His arrogance is his downfall.

Peverellshire · 02/06/2023 14:31

hlc123 · 02/06/2023 14:24

I am really confused why this is all blowing up now when I and many others have known about and had seen photos/ showreels of 'the young colleague' from posts on twitter 3 years ago? And if I (with no TV/ celebrity connections) knew, those that say they didn't know are obviously lying! I think there is still a lot that the public don't know.

I feel really sorry for Phillip Schofield's wife, daughers and especially his Mum, and hope the young man is getting the support he needs.

He is claiming that no one knew, not his wife or the prod co etc or anyone at all. No one knew, or very few on set re: Jimmy S, either, to be fair to him - although JS a totally diff league and evil.

He's kept the whatsap receipts etc to prove that no one had any idea. They can continue therefore with no stain...

hlc123 · 02/06/2023 14:37

Yes but I knew 3 years ago. It was all over twitter. So how could they not have known until recent weeks? Also Eamon Holmes has said he and ruth knew and it's all a cover up

TaylorSwiftFan · 02/06/2023 14:38

What is it called to watch it please?

StellaAndCrow · 02/06/2023 14:41

Even when talking about his daughters he's so narcissistic. When he talked about how they responded

"I thought - wow - I did all right there"

Has someone already counted up the number of times he says "I"?

And talking about telling his wife - it's all about how difficult the conversation was for HIM, not the effect on her.

Original poster

JeandeServiette · 02/06/2023 14:48

NeedToThinkOfOne · 02/06/2023 13:28

And so the ugly thread continues. Some people really don’t grasp that social media is the equivalent of talking direct to a person. The very thing you are accusing PS of doing to a person who was signed up to social media as a mechanism to talk to a famous person he obviously admired. The ‘victim’ could do that from age 13/14 according to social media companies. Perhaps those of you accusing others of not understanding grooming, don’t have a grasp of what children and young adults are ‘allowed’ to do. Ask yourself if anyone under the age of consent IRL should be allowed to talk to adults on social media?

Did PS do anything illegal by talking to him on there? The grooming label you are freely and easily attaching to someone without hearing any evidence is concerning. Why not use your energy to call out the sm platforms who manipulate our children and young people every day?

What? Just because it's legal to speak to someone, doesn't mean it's okay to groom them. And it being legal to interact with someone doesn't make it impossible for grooming to happen.

OP posts:

Emotionalsupportviper · 02/06/2023 14:49

commonground · 02/06/2023 08:57

Haven't rt whole thread but really fed up at him saying 'if it wasn't for his daughters he wouldn't be here'.

As someone bereaved by suicide this is just so so hurtful and not how it works. Urgh. What a deeply unpleasant man.

It's a dreadful insult to anyone who has taken, or has seriously attempted to take their own life, and to anyone bereaved by suicide. Absolutely terrible!

This is just an attempt at manipulation - it's a big pity party for him now, and his apologists are out in force.

Original poster

JeandeServiette · 02/06/2023 14:50

NeedToThinkOfOne · 02/06/2023 14:00

I do not knowingly strike up friendships with children online and I do not know anyone who does or thinks its ok.

and therein lies a fundamental problem with our society today. How many of you allow your children freely on social media? I know 10 and 11yo with TikTok accounts, Instagram and several other accounts which market themselves as ‘safe’ for children. I’m not dismissing any behaviour by PS, but I am saying you can’t just label it grooming when there’s platforms which not only enable communication but there’s also nothing illegal about it. We’ve normalised it as a society now, so children won’t see it as grooming and their parents are all over it, in many cases igniting affairs etc.

Yes it's grooming irrespective of whether parental decisions have unwittingly enabled the grooming.

OP posts:

Original poster

JeandeServiette · 02/06/2023 14:53

TaylorSwiftFan · 02/06/2023 14:38

What is it called to watch it please?

Something like "the Philip Schofield interview". It's on the front page of iplayer.

OP posts:

PrincessScarlett · 02/06/2023 14:57

MisschiefMaker · 02/06/2023 12:55

I don't see how the grooming accusations can stand up if he didn't physically see MM between 15-19 (do I have that right?) and didn't start the affair til 20. Age of consent is 16. What kind of grooming doesn't result in sex until 20?!

Grooming happens online as well as in person. In fact, online grooming appears more prevalent these days. You only have to attend an online safety course to realise online gaming and social media are a paedophile's paradise. PS has admitted he was in contact with MM on social media although he states it was only a handful of times.

Emotionalsupportviper · 02/06/2023 15:03

Supergirl1958 · 02/06/2023 09:46

Anyone watching Nicky Campbell? Interesting to see him draw comparisons to Cheryl Tweedy and Liam Payne, in light of PS’ comments about people not being as shocked if it were a heterosexual relationship. Cheryl met Liam when he was 14!!

"Met" - briefly, on a show, as I understand it.

But did she instigate a closer relationship, continue to deepen it into intimacy, and then, assign as he was "legal", consummate the relationship? Or did they meet again some years later when he was adult and the 10 (yr?)* gap wasn't so important and the power balance was more equal?

*Not 3+ decades

UselessFecker · 02/06/2023 15:05

Why are the media not naming the young man? We all know his name.
Is it a coincidence that this all came about just after Scofield's brother was convicted of being a child abuser?