LONDON: Former TV host Phillip Schofield says he thinks homophobia was to blame for the attention given to his romance with a younger male coworker.
In an interview with the BBC, the former presenter of This Morning apologised for the “grave error” and said he had “lost everything”.
But despite the fact that he would have “been in trouble” for having an affair with a woman, he said that it would not have been a “massive scandal”.
In 2020, Schofield came out as homosexual.
During the BBC interview with Amol Rajan, he appeared as worn out and upset.
The TV host stated he was “desperately sorry” and that he had been having suicidal thoughts lately in a hushed voice.
But he contended that part of the criticism of his behaviour was unfairly harsh because the connection involved two guys who were of different ages.
When asked if having an affair with a woman would have cost him his job, he responded, “I don’t think it would have been a massive scandal, but I would still have been in trouble because I’d broken the rules of having a relationship with someone at work.”
Schofield added: “If it’s a gay relationship, then suddenly it raises eyebrows, it’s wrong, it’s wrong.” He said that discoveries about a comparable straight relationship would have been seen as “nudge nudge, wink wink.”
People in different age groups do find each other attractive, he added, therefore it does happen. I understand that it is due to the job and history, but the main reason it is so widespread is homophobia.
During the candid interview with BBC News, he looked to be upset.
However, he said that it “didn’t feel like that at the time” and that he understood those who believed there had been a misuse of authority.
Schofield’s disclosure of the relationship prompted concerns about their power dynamics and if he had abused his influence.
“I understand that, and it’s a very valid question to put to me,” Schofield replied. “If that’s a misuse of authority, I wouldn’t normally be that person, but of course it might be interpreted that way. But at the moment, it didn’t feel that way.
Schofield told the BBC he had gotten private support from certain colleagues and media professionals who thought he had been unfairly punished. Schofield claimed he felt like he had been a “victim of hate” and false stories.
He said, “One extremely well-known public figure called me the other day to inquire how I was doing since I had never experienced such homophobia in my life.
There were just five or six amorous meetings between the two over a few months, according to Schofield, who added that their first one happened in his dressing room.
“He is an innocent party here,” he stated, referring to his former colleague. I should have known better because I was older. The relationship was mutually agreed upon, yet I was to blame.
The young male colleague, who has a right to privacy under Article Eight of the Human Rights Act and was not there to provide his account of events, is not being named by the BBC, like many other media sources.
