Schofield’s wife reveals pain of star being gay
THE wife of Phillip Schofield has told how they have both been going through an ‘emotionally painful time’ since he came out as gay.
Stephanie Lowe broke her silence following the shock television revelation by the This Morning host on Friday.
‘We’ve had to face the most emotionally painful time in our 27 years of marriage,’ she told The Sun on Sunday.
Ms Lowe, 56, is not expected to file for divorce in the near future and already knew her husband was gay when he came out on TV.
In an interview with the newspaper, Mr Schofield added: ‘She has known for a while. When you live with someone you know these things don’t you? We sat down and we talked and then she left me to have space.’
The pair are yet to decide if they will officially end their marriage and appear to still be living together at their home in Oxfordshire. The ITV presenter said he was ‘naive’ to suppress his sexuality for so long and knew he may have been gay at his 1993 wedding.
The 57-year-old said he had tried to stifle his ‘confusion’ over his sexual orientation as getting married was a ‘joyous time’.
At first, added Schofield, he thought that he was bisexual.
Raising daughters Molly, 27, and Ruby, 24, had made him feel like he had the ‘perfect life’.
Speaking on how hiding his sexuality has affected his mental health, Schofield said he had sought therapy after things had got ‘very dark’ and he had become ‘depressed’.
Last night, Schofield was given an enormous cheer by the audience at Dancing On Ice as he opened the live show with Holly Willoughby.
Judge Ashley Banjo also told him: ‘You have always been an absolute legend but never more so than this week, my friend. I think I speak for everyone when I say we’ve got nothing but love and respect for you.’