Phillip Schofield: UK TV Presenter Quits Network after Admitting Affair with Younger Male Colleague
Last Updated: May 27, 2023, 02:26 IST
London, United Kingdom (UK)
Television presenter Phillip Schofield arrives with his wife Stephanie Lowe for the Pride of Britain Awards in London, Britain October 30, 2017. (Image: Reuters)
Phillip Schofield – who stepped down from presenting the daytime TV programme last Saturday – said the “consensual on-off relationship” was “unwise”
Phillip Schofield, the 61-year-old popular UK television presenter, has made a stunning exit from British broadcast network ITV and confessed to engaging in an affair with a younger male colleague on the daytime TV program “This Morning” while he was still married.
Schofield, who stepped down from his presenting duties on the show last Saturday, characterized the relationship as a “consensual on-off” one, acknowledging that it was unwise but not illegal, The Guardian reported.
Expressing remorse for his actions, Schofield admitted to lying about the affair to various parties, including ITV and friends.
In an interview with UK’s Daily Mail, he revealed that he had concealed the truth about the relationship in an effort to protect his ex-colleague.
Schofield expressed profound regret for deceiving his employers at ITV, his colleagues and friends, his agents, the media, the public and his family.
He apologised sincerely for his unfaithfulness to his wife, Stephanie Lowe, with whom he had been married for 30 years.
As per the British daily, the UK presenter had previously planned time off during his brother’s sex abuse trial, which concluded with his brother, Timothy Schofield, being convicted of 11 sexual offenses involving a child.
Schofield, through his lawyers, expressed deep regret for ending his 35-year association with YMU, a company he regarded as faultless in their management of his career.
Schofield began his career as a bookings clerk at the BBC before venturing to New Zealand, where he pursued TV and radio work.
He returned to the UK in 1985 and gained prominence as a continuity announcer for Children’s BBC, co-hosting the Saturday morning show “Going Live” from 1987 to 1993.
Schofield joined “This Morning” in 2002, according to the Guardian.
In February 2020, Schofield publicly revealed that he is gay and expressed gratitude to his wife, Stephanie, for her remarkable support.
He shares two adult children, Molly and Ruby, with Stephanie.
