To think Phillip schofield scandal is homophobia?

[ivfregret]

Have I missed something in that the guy Philip had the affair with was not a minor?

He was a minor when they met, as was Cheryl Cole and Liam Payne for example and no one has anything bad to say about that relationship.

I'm not sticking up for Philip and really dislike him, and also think even if the runner was above the age of consent is most definitely questionable behaviour but I can't help think of it was a heterosexual affair it would not be treated in the same way?

Grooming starts with throwing a net out. Grooming starts with mundane conversations. There is no good reason for an adult in the entertainment industry to be having Snapchat conversations with yr 9 schoolboys.

I’m not sticking up for PS but I really don’t like the ‘pile on’, especially from some of his past co-presenters.

I also imagine he’s a suicide risk right now.

Like a PP (sorry can’t remember who) posted, the likes of Elvis, Bill Wyman etc, had met their former wives when they were children. Elvis is still called The King to this day. I really hope those in the media lapping up their moment of attention, will happily burn their Elvis/Stones collections too!

Just smacks of double standards really!

I recall there being plenty of news coverage when Steve Easterbrook (v high up at McDonalds) lost his job for a similar thing. It'll get plenty of media coverage because he's seen as an A list star.

Actually, this is very true.

Op, you say people are blowing it up because it's a boy. In reality, you're downplaying it because he's gay, so we have to be kind...

If it were a girl, people would probably be more outraged, not less.

Cheryl and Liam are completely different.

Cheryl didn't take responsibility for getting Liam into the tv industry and have a personal interest in him from a young age.
Yes they met when he was a teenager and she was a tv judge, but there was no inappropriate behaviour.

There were other relationships, marriage, and a lot of time between their first meeting and becoming romantically linked and by that point it was a perfectly acceptable age difference and no power imbalance. If anything, Liam was the more powerful and famous one due to 1D.

Phillip knew this person from being a young boy, was a patron of his theatre group, took an interest in him and his career, got him a job on a huge tv show, then what? Out of nowhere they embarked on an 'unwise but not illegal' affair?

I don't have the salacious desire that you and others have for this man to have been sexually abused as a young boy. I am not going to create a pedophile and a victim of childhood sexual abuse out of speculation.

I will stick to facts and what is known until more is released or the man speaks for himself.

I don't think so. I think it's that he's basically shown himself to be a horrible human. Firstly lying to his wife and deceiving her for decades, then when he came out acting like it was a noble and brave thing to do. I don't recall any apology to his wife at the time and that made me dislike him. I mean if you're gay but don't want to be publicly 'out' you can just carry on your private life quietly (as Cliff Richard apparently has for example). You don't need to drag another person and your kids into it and effectively make their entire lives based on a lie.

The fact that he groomed a child when in a position of power over him just reinforces what I already thought. The man has no morals and that has nothing to do with being gay.

A lot of people have changed their opinion on those people though. Very sadly, these things happened in a 'different time' when it was normalised.

Fortunately times have changed and we don't support abusers anymore.

This isn't aimed at you PP, just wanted to say the amount of people thinking this is ok because other people have done it before is, quite frankly, disgusting. Does no one have teenagers? Children? You can be the most mature child/teen on the planet but are STILL vulnerable because you just don't have the life experience.

Age gap relationships aren't an issue as long as both their brains have fully developed. Those trying to paint it as 'an affair' are worth watching themselves.

Yep. I have loads of family and friends' kids who range from around ten to 18, plus have had interns/work experience students I've been responsible for. I can't even imagine looking at any of them that way, they're kids! And I'm a lot younger than PS. It's absolutely grooming.

How many boys or girls have you met underage that you've went on to have a sexual relationship with?

These are the facts. Doesn't matter if he was of age (which I do actually believe although I may be wrong), he was a vulnerable person and PS abused his power.

Honestly cannot believe so many think there isn't anything wrong with that.

That should say 'if he was of age when anything sexual happened'.

@AntiSocial6DaysAWeek they were certainly different times and even though we don’t support abusers anymore, some people still have their blinkers on when it comes to the likes of Elvis and Bill Wyman.

I didn't say there wasn't anything wrong and if you look at my past comments, I have agreed there is an abuse of power in the work environment.

The runner is a real live person, I am not going to reate a fictional account of him as a victim of sexual violence out of disdain or wanting Philip to be the next Saville. I will stick to facts and what is known until more facts are relased or the man speaks for himself. You can keep speculating and writing horrible and completely unsubstantiated things about the runner and his childhood and life. I think peoples desire to have him been violated as young as possible is quite sick. You can dislike Philip for what is known without wanting harm to have come to the man when he was a child.

I think these threads would be a lot shorter if posters like you just put up the evidence that he groomed him. I think most casual observers of the whole thing have just seen one group photo of him when he met him at the group. PS is a celeb, how many group photos has been in over his years in TV? 1000s I would guess, like I said for most casual observers it's just that a group photo. Just link to the rest of the evidence that he was grooming him while he was underage and maybe these threads will cease to exist?

If you’re asking whether some of the people who are condemning PS for his behaviour are homophobes, then I’ll say ‘yes’. Of course homophobes will be enjoying sticking the boot in but that does not mean that the majority of people who condemn PS and his manipulative, adulterous, questionable behaviour are homophobes.

It’s the sheer power imbalance. A 15 year old child wanting to get into TV, much older, famous, powerful man says, I can do that for you. PS helps this boy into a position thousands of young people would die for, then once he hits the age of consent allegedly starts a sexual relationship with him. Probably some people kept quiet because they would lose their jobs, some people kept quiet because they didn’t see anything wrong with it, some people kept quiet because they didn’t want to be seen to be homophobic, some homophobes didn’t say anything because they ‘othered’ this young man - they maybe thought that sort of behaviour was something that just goes on in ‘that’ community and didn’t think it right to afford the young man that consideration and protection. Which is terrible and, yes, homophobic.

And PS therefore got away with it… until now. What the precise social mechanics are of it coming to light now, are uncertain but it won’t necessarily be about sticking up for the young man in question - more likely to be about behind-the-scenes, power shenanigans within the TV industry.

Unfortunately they do. I'm no spring chicken myself but I think it's mostly the older generation.

I was reading an article about the 'two Corey's' just last week, and while I had some sort of understanding of things in that industry through people charged/accused of sexual assault, reading that made me absolutely sick to my stomach. Apparently it's common place although obviously I don't know anything first hand.

This isn't even about PS, it's about anyone who uses their position of power for their own gratification.

I would imagine he's been paid off and signed an NDA. Very common unfortunately.

Just to be clear I'm a lawyer in the media/celebrity world so this isn't random speculation. It's very, very common for people to accept a payout in return for (contractual) silence.

Old powerful man befriends a high school girl, promises to get her into TV. Gets her into TV on leaving school, begins affair.

There would very definitely be a commotion about it.

🤣🤣Of course it's not homophobia!

No one could care less if PS was dating a guy.

What people care about is the fact he cheated on his wife and potentially groomed a young person more than 20years his junior who he was in a position of power over.

I think people are also not too pleased that his coming out was used as a cover story.

YA(definitely)BVU!!

His sexuality is irrelevant , any adult male or female 34 years older having a sexual relationship with someone they have known since a child is immoral even if its legal.
He clearly groomed the man and it appears that itv may have covered up , the whole thing stinks.
You say the reaction is 'overly extreme' so it should be - male or female this is predatory behaviour, but nothing to do with being gay.

He did sign an NDA which from what I understand is coming to an end very shortly.

While I get people saying 'give us the evidence', I'd say the fact there even has been an NDA is telling enough. That's not me saying he's a paedophile obviously, just that he knows his 'relationship' was inappropriate.

I'm 45. Can't imagine meeting a young 15 year old, befriending them, then sleeping with them behind my husband's back when they turn 18, and then carrying on an affair with them for over 10years.

I just can't imagine it. As an adult woman, I just can't imagine liking a young boy, fancying them, and then sleeping with them when they turn 18yrs old. It's too weird!

I bet there's not many mumsnetters over 35 that could imagine being attracted to a 15yr old, then sleeping with them behind their spouses back when that 15yr old turns 18. Could you do it?

Quite. The claims of homophobia are right up there with ‘no debate’. He abused his position of power, lied, treated MM appallingly and has done everything possible to silence MM. He met MM as a child…got him a job…kept him close and clearly MM had privileges and access Runners don’t. Everyone turned a blind eye and those who complained were removed. Bullying and lack of safeguarding across the board.

Phillip Schofield Runner - The Latest About His Personal Assistant - Lime Goss

Phillip Schofield Timeline of Events - Lime Goss