Phillip Schofield’s daughter Molly has revealed that he and his wife Stephanie are ‘still best friends’, after the presenter came out in 2020.
The This Morning star, 62, was praised when he came out publicly as gay four years ago, and at the time had the support of his wife Stephanie and two daughters.
However, his wife Stephanie’s world came crashing down when, in May 2023, it finally became public that Phillip had been having a years-long affair with a much younger ITV colleague.
In their new Channel 5 series Cast Away, Phillip’s family look for the first time at the effect the scandal has had on the family.
Phil and Stephanie have never legally divorced and sources close to the couple previously said she “still loves him” deeply and will always remain in his “support system” with their daughters Molly and Ruby.
Phillip Schofield’s daughter Molly has revealed that he and his wife Stephanie are ‘still best friends’, after the presenter came out in 2020.
The This Morning star, 62, was praised when he came out publicly as gay four years ago, and at the time had the support of his wife Stephanie and two daughters.
Molly, who works as her father’s publicist, said that despite the struggles that have beset the family, Phillip and Stephanie still have a close bond.
She said: “We’ve seen him at his lowest moments, but I’ve been so proud of him and, as a daughter, to see the love that people had for him, which when it’s taken away from me is just heartbreaking.”
“Strangely, everything that has happened recently has brought us closer together.”
“When my father came out, it was very difficult for me,” Molly continued.
‘It was very hard for the whole family. Especially my mother, of course, everything was upside down. But we talked about it and over time it became easier.
‘My mom, my sister, we are all the same, we will always continue to support him no matter what happens.
“And I never thought it would have been the way it has been, but having my parents still best friends, I’m just the luckiest person ever.”
Phillip shocked the nation when he revealed he would be returning to TV in Channel 5 series Cast Away, which sees him fend for himself for 10 days on a remote island paradise.
Phillip has been married to Stephanie Lowe since 1993 and the couple share Molly and Ruby, 28 (both pictured in January 2020).
Molly, who works as her father’s publicist, said that despite the struggles that have beset the family, Phillip and Stephanie still have a close bond.
Speaking on Cast Away, Molly also opened up about how difficult the last few years had been for her family.
In the first episode, Phillip said he was “everything ready” to attempt suicide, but decided against it when his eldest daughter Molly convinced him not to, following his departure from This Morning.
He said: ‘In the last eighteen months, it’s gotten as dark as it gets.
‘A year ago I was so, so close. I had everything in place, everything was set up and ready and it was Molly who was looking after me.’
He explained: “Molly and Ruby looked after me at the time, and Molly said, ‘Can you imagine what this would do to us if you actually managed to pull it off? Can you imagine what would happen and what it would do to me if you did this under my supervision?’
‘That was enough, enough to take a step back from the edge. They could have hospitalized me, I just ran to the family home, locked the doors and I was there.’
He later paid tribute to his wife Stephanie Lowe, Molly, 31, and youngest daughter Ruby, 28, saying: “Without them I wouldn’t be here.”
Schofield’s return to TV comes 16 months after he was forced to apologize to the Mail for lying about his affair with his former This Morning colleague.
He also lied to ITV and his former co-presenter Holly Willoughby about the affair and has not worked since.
But during the show, he addresses the relationship, saying, “It’s like the biggest grenade of your life went off.” You know you let people down, you know you let yourself down.
“It was reckless and unprofessional. I will regret it forever. I ruined it. I made a mistake and hurt the people around me.’
Schofield’s admission that he had enjoyed the romance came three years after he came out as gay live on This Morning, with Ms Willoughby by his side.
It was a secret that he had hidden from his entire family and colleagues, but he says he is proud to reveal the truth about his sexuality: “I am very proud of what I did and I know that coming out to so many people is liberating. And It’s freedom on a plate.
‘Absolutely. Be yourself. Live your life to the fullest. That’s the saying: just live your best life. But for me, doing it later in life, at this point it has given me more, um, anguish than joy, because I’m fully aware of the damage it leaves.’
Notably, Schofield does not mention Holly or his former lover, with whom he signed a mutual confidentiality agreement earlier this year in exchange for a six-figure payment.
It will leave viewers wondering if he’s referring to Holly when he said: “When you throw someone under a bus, you have to have a very good reason for doing it.”
In another outburst, Schofield said: ‘I miss most of it. But there are parts that I really, really, really don’t miss. You learn a lot about people. I don’t miss it.’
Since leaving television, Schofield says he “spent days in bed” where he watched the news “in a daze.”
As for what he thinks of his return to the spotlight, Schofield admits he expects little sympathy. “I don’t do it because I’m poor,” he says. ‘I don’t think I have any rights. I have no right to be poor.