Holly supported Phil’s wife Stephanie (Image: ITV/Gettyimages)
spoke glowingly about his best friend Holly Willoughby, describing her presence as “serene” and “calming” during the turbulent moment he came out as gay in 2020.
He revealed that Holly quickly rallied to support his wife, Stephanie, providing a comforting shoulder during the emotional aftermath of his announcement.
Speaking about Holly, at the time, he said: “Holly has been astonishing, literally the best mate. She’s serene, calming and sensible and she’s balanced.”
Adding: “Not just for me but also for Steph. She’s been balanced across the board.”
However, the pair’s friendship dramatically ended after Schofield’s revelation about his affair with a much younger ITV colleague, leaving Holly reportedly blindsided.
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Phillip was quick to praise Holly after opening up about his sexuality live on air (Image: Getty)
At the time, MailOnline reported that Holly was “deeply upset” after allegedly being kept in the dark about the relationship, claiming she only learned of it when her co-star took time off from This Morning.
“Holly had to find out from someone else, which must have been awful for her. She has been so loyal to him,” a source told the publication.
Despite Phillip coming out about his sexuality and the ensuing scandal, he and his wife, Steph, have not yet divorced. The couple, who tied the knot in 1993, are still navigating their relationship and have not made a decision to dissolve their marriage. Phillip, once a familiar face on This Morning, and Steph share two adult daughters, Molly and Ruby.
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Phillip and his wife Stephanie Lowe (Image: Getty)
While speculation about their divorce circulated, insiders suggested that the emotional bond between Phillip and Steph was delaying that final step. A source confided to OK! Magazine: “Whatever Phillip has done behind Steph’s back, she still loves him… Even if the love they shared in the beginning of their marriage is different now, it’s still very much there.”
Now, Phillip is set to share his side of the story, including the tumultuous year he has faced, in his upcoming documentary on Channel 5. In a teaser clip, the disgraced TV star opened up about how his “life” after he retreated from the spotlight.
He hoped up saying: “I never, in my wildest, wildest dreams, thought that I would sit here and look at this and do this, discover something new every day.
“(It’s) nice to discover new things about yourself, like for you, for you personally. You don’t look online. People tell you what they think you’re like.”
After the news broke about his affair, Phillip offered a grovelling apology saying at the time: “I did have a consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague at This Morning. 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.”