Phillip Schofield's wife Stephanie Lowe breaks silence as daughter says This Morning scandal 'made them closer'
Phillip Schofield's daughter has opened up about the moment her father came out as gay on live TV, describing it as a "hard" time for the family, particularly her mother, which completely flipped their world "upside down". Back in February 2020, Phillip made headlines with his heartfelt revelation about his sexuality during an emotional segment with Holly Willoughby on ITV's This Morning.
After leaving ITV in 2023 following the disclosure of an affair with a younger colleague, a move he described as "unwise but not illegal", the host has stepped back into the spotlight with his new Channel 5 adventure series, Phillip Schofield : Cast Away.
In the show's opening episode, viewers will see glimpse of family unity as Phil's wife Stephanie Lowe and their adult daughters joined him for a garden barbecue before his departure to a remote island near Madagascar.
READ MORE:Phillip Schofield emotionally reveals his life nearly ended in suicide – but his daughters saved him
READ MORE:Phillip Schofield takes savage swipe at ex-colleagues claiming they 'threw him under the bus'
During the programme, he reflected on the personal cost of coming out later in life, acknowledging that it has caused "more anguish than joy because I'm fully aware of the damage that it leaves" behind. However, he expressed gratitude towards his family for their unwavering support throughout the ordeal.
Molly Schofield also shared her thoughts on the family's journey during an interview on the Channel 5 series, stating: "When my dad came out, it was... very hard for me, it was very hard for the entire family mainly my mum, of course everything was turned upside down." She added, "But we talked through it, and over time it's got easier."
"You know, my mum, my sister (Ruby), we're all the same, we will always continue to support him no matter what," she stated passionately.
"And I never thought it would have gone the way it has. But to have my parents still best friends is just... I'm the luckiest person ever." Reflecting on recent events, she admitted it "made us closer."
"We've seen him in his lowest times, but I've been so proud of him, so proud of him, and as a daughter to see the love that people had for him... taken away, it's just heartbreaking."
She expressed hope that dad's adventure on the desert island, where "you can't fake it", will showcase to viewers the real man behind the public persona, allowing them "to see him, how we see him, because he is just amazing".
Phil's wife Stephanie also opened up to Phil on the show, saying: "What people don't realise is that they batter you, but then there are other people affected." And she didn't stop there, adding earnestly: "There's no question by doing this, you're popping your head back up above the parapet for the very few horrid people that there are out there."
“There’ll be a lot of people, who would hope that I suffer horribly," Phil responded.
The star has previously lauded his daughters Ruby and Molly for "guarding him", when he felt "numbness" following his confession to the affair last year and the loss of representation by his talent agency.
Phillip Schofield: Cast Away premieres at 9pm on Monday on Channel 5, with the series unfolding further on Tuesday and Wednesday at the same time.