‘I needed a lot of help in recent times’: Phillip Schofield gets emotional as he discusses his secret mental health battle and thanks wife Steph for supporting him
- The presenter, 58, who announced in February he was gay after 27 years of marriage, said on Thursday’s This Morning he has needed ‘a lot of help’ recently
- The ITV star credited his wife, Stephanie Lowe, 56, and daughters Molly, 27, and Ruby, 24, for supporting him
- Phillip was discussing the topic of mental health and how suicide rates in men are high with co-host Holly Willoughby on Thursday’s episode of This Morning
- ***If you have been affected by this story, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org***
Phillip Schofield got emotional on Thursday’s This Morning as he discussed his secret mental health battle.
The presenter, 58, who announced in February he was gay after 27 years of marriage, revealed he has needed ‘a lot of help’ in recent times.
Phillip credited his wife, Stephanie Lowe, 56, and daughters Molly, 27, and Ruby, 24, for supporting him recently.
Speaking out: Phillip Schofield got emotional on Thursday’s This Morning as he discussed his secret mental health battle
Phillip was discussing the topic of mental health and how suicide rates in men are high with co-host Holly Willoughby on Thursday’s episode of This Morning.
He shared: ‘I will be talking a lot about my mental health over the next couple of weeks. I needed a lot of help in recent times.
‘People who sit by the side of me right now is my wife at home Steph, my girls and my family.
Family: Phillip credited his wife, Stephanie Lowe, 56, and daughters Molly, 27, and Ruby, 24, for supporting him (pictured together in 2017)
Reaching out: The presenter, 58, who announced in February he was gay after 27 years of marriage, revealed he has needed ‘a lot of help’ in recent times
‘I realise not everyone is as lucky as I am to have sympathetic ears. The first point surely has to reach out to people.’
In February, Phillip announced he was gay after 27 years of marriage as he shared an emotional statement to social media.
Following his revelation, the presenter took his place on the This Morning sofa besides co-host Holly Willoughby to further pour his heart out.
Writing on Instagram about his decision to come out, he said: ‘With the strength and support of my wife and daughters, I have been coming to terms with the fact that I am gay.
Important: Phillip was discussing the topic of mental health and how suicide rates in men are high with co-host Holly Willoughby on Thursday’s episode of This Morning
Brave: He shared: ‘I will be talking a lot about my mental health over the next couple of weeks. I needed a lot of help in recent times.’
‘My inner conflict contrasts with an outside world that has changed so very much for the better. Today, quite rightly, being gay is a reason to celebrate and be proud.’
He later admitted in a newspaper interview that it was too early to say if he and Steph would stay married.
‘It has taken me a long time to get here, I am not rushing to get to any other place,’ he said. ‘We will always be a family… And where the wind blows us I don’t know. But I still love Steph as much as when we first met. More probably.’
Phillip is married to wife Stephanie and the couple are parents to Molly, 27, and Ruby, 24.
Support: ‘People who sit by the side of me right now is my wife at home Steph, my girls and my family,’ he added (pictured with his family and his daughters’ partners recently)
The presenter previously revealed he had been leading the ‘perfect life’ after getting married and raising his two children, claiming he hadn’t wanted anything to get in the way of his happiness.
But he said he was ‘naive’ to think he could suppress his sexuality when he married Stephanie 27 years ago, and he didn’t consider his sexuality as it was such a ‘joyous time’ for him.
Phillip also admitted he battled depression as he struggled with his sexuality, and even sought therapy to come to terms with it, before deciding he found it more helpful speaking to friends in private.
If you have been affected by this story, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org