Watch the moment Phillip Schofield insisted wife Stephanie ‘knew everything’ two years before affair was revealed
THIS is the moment Phillip Schofield insisted categorically that his wife Stephanie “knew everything” about his sexuality and situation two years before his affair was revealed.
The 61-year-old made the admission when he appeared on ITV’s Lorraine show following the This Morning when he sensationally revealed he was gay in 2020.
Phillip issued a grovelling apology on Friday 26 May to his daughters, Ruby, 27, and Molly, 29, his wife, Stephanie, 59, former ITV bosses and the public for lying about the relationship with a “much younger” colleague.
The broadcaster – who was axed by This Morning just last week – has now been dropped by his agent after the affair with the male ITV employee – which was not illegal – was exposed.
Schofield told the Mail: “I am making this statement via the Daily Mail to whom I have already apologised personally for misleading, through my lawyer who I also misled, about a story which they wanted to write about me a few days ago.
“The first thing I want to say is: I am deeply sorry for having lied to them, and to many others about a relationship that I had with someone working on This Morning.”
The statement continued: “I did have a consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague.
“Contrary to speculation, whilst I met the man when he was a teenager and was asked to help him to get into television, it was only after he started to work on the show that it became more than just a friendship.
“That relationship was unwise, but not illegal. It is now over. When I chose to come out I did so entirely for my own wellbeing. Nobody ‘forced’ me out.
“Neither I nor anyone else, to my knowledge, has ever issued an injunction, super or otherwise, about my relationship with this colleague, he was never moved on or sacked by or because of me.”
He continued the statement, writing: “I am painfully conscious that I have lied to my employers at ITV, to my colleagues and friends, to my agents, to the media and therefore the public and most importantly of all to my family.
“I am so very, very sorry, as I am for having been unfaithful to my wife.”
Footage of Phillip speaking with Lorraine, 63, has now resurfaced in the wake of the revelation.
Discussing his coming out with his fellow ITV star, he told her: “[There were] lots and lots of hours talking to Steph and hugging Steph.
“We talked the whole thing through. There were no secrets, there have never been any secrets. What I knew, she knew.”
Phillip also revealed in his statement that he would be stepping away from hosting the British Soap Awards and ITV entirely.
He said: “I will reflect on my very bad judgement in both participating in the relationship and then lying about it.
“To protect his privacy, I am not naming this individual and my deepest wish is that both he and his family can now move on with their lives free from further intrusion, and that this statement will enable them to do so.
“I ask the media now to respect their privacy. They have done nothing wrong, and I ask that their privacy should be respected.”
Lorraine is yet to comment on Phillip’s affair however many other celebrities have not held back.