Puzzled - Philip Schofield

[howwillthispanout]

Sorry if this has been covered already but I’ve been offline all day - has there been any discussion re PS’s announcement today on this board? Especially in relation to wife and daughters

He said today he hadn't met anyone and has no intention of in the near future. Don't see why this is even a discussion point tbh

I just keep wondering why this has to be made public. What’s his next move? I can’t imagine being so interested in my sexuality that I have to make public statements about it. And I’m sorry, but there is something icky about a man pushing 60 making statements like this. He’s basically saying I’m off to have sex with men and just wanted to keep you all in the loop.

Imagine if he’d announced he was no longer into his wife in a sexual way and would like everyone to know he’s planning on sleeping with other women from now on.

But because he’s gay it’s brilliant, right?

I sincerely hope his wife did know. My immediate thoughts were with her.

Coming out as a children’s TV presenter would have been unthinkable in the 80s and 90s.

When the news broke this morning (and was it really worth the breaking news headlines?) I discussed it with two colleagues. All of us had known for a long time that Schofield was not 100% heterosexual. We all personally know a man who has slept with him, going back to his broom cupboard days. It doesn’t really add up to a man who has just realised he has feelings for men.

What’s his next move?

Why does he have to have a "next move" up his sleeve?

He’s basically saying I’m off to have sex with men and just wanted to keep you all in the loop
What? No, he's just being true to himself.What's wrong with that? He might not even want to be off shagging other people. Just finally acknowledging who he is.

DB is gay, he had a GF for years before coming out. I personally feel it’s unfair to suggest he’s wrong to hide this as it embarrasses his family for whatever reasons. Being gay isn’t a choice, people hide it or refuse to accept it for a numbers of reasons.

@NewMommy20

Who the hells DB? 😂
David beckham?
Derren Brown?
David Bellamy?

@happinessischocolate I assume her brother? Pretty common acronym on here.

Don't see why it calls for all that sobbing on television. As if any one cared outside his own family. No need to humiliate his wife like that.
I hope we're not treated to details of his new sex life.

The demonization of Gays because of myths surrounding AIDS was going strong in the early nineties.

Men admire men who deceive others with their double lives. They write novels and make films about their deceits.
The reveal that they have successfully fooled everyone who trusted them seems to be the ultimate male dominance display.

The 80s was not a tolerant time.

No, it certainly wasn't. AIDS wasn't fully understood, it was labeled the 'gay plague' and people thought you could catch it from toilet seats or drinking out of the same glass, and there was no treatment then, it was a death sentence and people were very scared. There was massive suspision of homosexuality and Section 28 just cemented that. Things went backwards massively in terms of attitudes from a lot of straight people, even though the LGB community was very much alive and supportive of each other. Freddie Mercury never came out as LGBT or aligned himself publicly with the LGBT-rights movement, and only confirmed he had Aids 24 hours before he died in 1991. Philadelphia with Tom Hanks came out in 1993 and was pretty ground-breaking.

I just don't like deceit in relationships so if he told his wife years ago and she wasn't bothered, fair enough. If he's just told her after 27 years, that's a different scenario. Yes, there was more prejudice 30 years ago, but I knew openly gay people in the early 1990's, I think the myths were already fading - and they certainly have now.

I hope at least that people younger than PS are now past this and are honest with their partners. Deception or omitting to tell people the truth about your sexuality isn't OK. I know two people who've experienced this IRL and it was devastating. They should've been allowed to choose whether to have relationships with their bisexual partners; instead they were lied to.

It's fair enough if he is gay but something isn't adding up in my opinion, here.

It's certainly a puzzlement.

Yes MN has been full of veiled homophobia today.

I don’t have strong feelings one way or another on him being gay but I can’t help but feel hugely sympathetic to his wife. He has this huge platform, he’s being lauded for his bravery and supported in such a hugely public way. Told how amazing he is. She has to sit in the background watching all this unfold. I just can’t imagine her pain after 27 years. 💐

Another who doesn't believe the press statement. He can't admit it came as a shock to his family as that would mean admitting that he'd deceived them which wouldn't be good for his image, particularly with all the other rumours about his relationships with other presenters.

His people have probably been relying on the family not being able to contradict the statement without being attacked for being homophobic even though it might be the deceit they were upset by rather than any criticism of his sexuality.

I think the Mirror story about his family being devastated is the last thing his PR people wanted.

Just reminds me of the scene in the Office when the senator comes out on tv and Angela his wife has to stand there smiling while he says "I now realise after being married how repulsive I find the female form" (or similar)
What else can his wife do but be supportive? He holds all the cards. If she wasn't she'd be accused of "denying his right to express himself".
But to be so full of yourself that you sit there, announcing it on TV, with a stupid hang dog expression, while your bestie hangs on your neck saying how brave you are ? Vomit inducing.
Brave like the people coping with cancer, homelessness, DV every single ruddy day??? No mate, not my idea of a brave person. Just a person outing himself. Big bloody deal.

Brave would have been doing this years ago. Kids are seeing LGBetc items on BBC newsround, in the press and media, in their local coffee shops, etc on a daily basis.

Brave would have been announcing this years ago when gay young people needed role models/gay visibility.

And there were ‘out’ gay men in tv back in the day. I can’t think off the top of my head if there were ‘out’ lesbians (outside of sports) on tv or in the news.

I was watching a Sun journalist on the talkradio livestream yesterday going on and on about how this was such an AMAZING story and how STUNNING AND BRAVE Phil is and what incredible COURAGE he’s shown. She looked about half my age and I couldn’t for the life of me understand why someone from her generation would even think this was a story, let alone imagine that this is what bravery and courage looks like. Why Is it an amazing story? Is this one of those (many) times when the press is just totally out of step with what most ordinary people are thinking? Like many others here I grew up with PS in the broom cupboard, and always had him in the category of “I thought he was gay but he’s married so probably not”. I will now now move him to the category of “I was right the first time”. And I care not a whit either way.

I do think this must be very hard for his wife and kids.

I don't care whether he's gay or not, but the inconsistencies puzzle me.
If it was considered an open secret he was gay years ago (and I know someone whose husband worked in tv with him back in the 90s who told me then it was common knowledge), why all the angst and shock now? And if he and his wife have always been 100% honest with each other, how come she's apparently shocked now?
He made no mention of time-frames in his "interview" with Holly yesterday (and why should he). It was all "for some time now" which was vague enough to cover any scenario really.
Also, for all the people commenting about the 1980s. Even if the London scene was open and tolerant, something like coming out of you lived in the provincial stocks was a whole different ball-game. Same as in the swinging 60s. Liberal attitudes take a Barry long time to become mainstream.
Good luck to him - and his wife and daughters.

Wow BBC news actually had a piece on this from a wife’s point of view (they obviously couldn’t find any men whose wives came out).

Jilly I know, I'm of the generation where we (or so I thought) don't think 'coming out' is even necessary and isn't brave or courageous as there's nothing or shameful about being one sexuality or another.
All this has really unsettled me and makes me worry for younger people, as it would seem that being gay is still a big deal and something you have to 'admit' to with a special, somber segment on national television. It's all been utterly bizarre.

Nothing wrong* or shameful

I’m fed up of people “coming out “ no one cares. You don’t need a label to live your life. Stop with the constant attention seeking. No one gives a shit that I’m a happy married woman

The pictures from this morning say it all. A man living his life, being affirmed and comforted by the women around him, bit parts in his story.

I work in the media and have been aware PS was gay for years. It’s an open secret which is why I’m surprised it has come out now. He has a reputation for not being nice to work with.
I think the timing of the announcement might have been to deflect from all his negative publicity - supposed spat with Amanda Holden, Alleged complaint with Ruth Langsford and there were some tweets about him and Fern Britten.
I think the fact this was announced on a Friday when Ruth and Eamonn were presenting speaks volumes. It was followed by obvious hugging and bitchy jokes from Eamonn Holmes - who also has an awful reputation as a colleague btw.
I hate to be so cynical since I found PS’s emotion and love for his family to be very real.