In his first interviews since departing ITV and This Morning, presenter Phillip Schofield expresses that he will “die sorry” and is “so ashamed.”
After adultery with a younger male coworker, Phillip Schofield thinks his “career is over” but denies grooming him.
The 61-year-old resigned from ITV last week and was dismissed by his talent agency YMU after admitting to an “unwise but not illegal” affair with the man.
In an interview with The Sun, he said he felt “utterly broken and ashamed” but maintained he “did not” groom the man, telling the paper he will “die sorry” and that he owed his “greatest apology” to his ex-lover.
Schofield further disclosed:
- Since the scandal broke, he has had suicidal inclinations and compared his situation to that of Caroline Flack before her death.
- Their first romantic encounter took place in his dressing room, and the male was 20 years old when they had their first sexual encounter.
- The couple had five or six romantic encounters; Schofield denied that the man was driven from ITV studios to his London residence by ITV-paid taxis.
- He and his colleague lied to ITV executives about their relationship, but they concurred that a more thorough investigation should have been conducted in 2020.
- Actress Holly Willoughby was unaware of the affair.
- He does not believe that the set of This Morning has a toxic work environment.
He stated, “It tears my heart to discuss television in the past tense… Ich habe alles verloren.
He asked, “What am I going to do with my days?” “I see nothing but darkness, sorrow, regret, remorse, and guilt in my future. I committed grave wrongdoing and then lied persistently about it.”
Schofield concurred that ITV executives should have conducted a “proper and more thorough investigation” in 2020 and expressed his optimism that the forthcoming external review announced by Dame Carolyn McCall on Wednesday would be “thorough.”
He confessed that both he and his colleague had lied to management about the affair.
He disputed that the young man had signed a non-disclosure agreement or received money to keep quiet about the encounter.
Schofield told that his first romantic encounter with his associate occurred in his dressing room and that the man was 20 years old when they had their first sexual encounter.
The two were “not boyfriends” and had five or six amorous encounters over several months.
However, “that wasn’t how it felt at the time”
He also rejected newspaper allegations that the individual drove between Schofield’s London home and This Morning.
“He visited my flat only once if I recall correctly, and he did not stay the night,” he said.
Schofield said “if it was male-female, then it wouldn’t be such a scandal” and that homophobia caused their relationship’s condemnation.
The broadcaster told The Sun that his ex-lover suffered the “greatest misery in his completely innocent life.”
He added, “I am profoundly regretful and I apologize to him because I ought to have known better…I will perish sorry. I am so ashamed.”
Schofield disclosed that he had suicidal ideas and that his daughters are “terrified” to let him out of their sight.
“If my daughters had not been there last week, I would not be here today.”
“How much do you want a man to suffer, and are you genuinely content only when he dies? This was Caroline Flack’s sentiment,” he continued.
The interviews were conducted after ITV announced it had launched an external investigation into the relationship between Schofield and his This Morning co-host.
The affair occurred before Schofield came out as homosexual and while he was still married to Stephanie Lowe.
Schofield, who married Stephanie in 1993, revealed his homosexuality on This Morning in 2020.
The wife was very, very furious’
He told The Sun that his wife was “very, very angry” after he confessed to her about his affair with a younger ITV colleague and that he had previously denied the affair to her when she had asked him about it.
“As soon as she stepped off the plane, I called her and texted ‘I need to speak with you’,” he explained.
“She called again, and I informed her.” She was extremely furious.
His departure from This Morning followed weeks of allegations of a rift with his co-host Holly Willoughby.
Willoughby called Schofield’s lying about his liaison with a younger male colleague “extremely hurtful.” In 2020, rumors of the relationship first began to circulate.
He also verified that Willoughby was unaware of the affair and added, “Nobody knew.”
Schofield stated that his interactions with his younger colleague before his joining This Morning were “completely innocent.”
He told: “It was an innocent picture, an innocent Twitter follow, of which I follow 11,400 people. And then it was a completely innocent backward and forwards over some time about a job, about careers.”
He added, “The fleeting communications back and forth before he started working on This Morning I believe were just small talk.
“What was imprudent was that it occurred. And that was a very, very grievous error on my part, even though it was voluntary.”
Schofield said, “I’m not rude on the studio floor, and I don’t bully people.”
