Phillip Scofield Why all the Fuss

To ReadyMeals, you say you once knew a gay man who confessed he found women attractive, the thing is did he want to sleep with them as well, if so then as SirChenjin says that would make him bisexual.

This is what is slightly confusing to me as a lot of older men are "coming out as gay" after many years of marriage, and like Philip Schofield has said in his words I truly love my wife and we have had a wonderful life so is he gay or bisexual? because he can obviously love a woman.
Too confusing for me .

I think they’re bisexual or pansexual

Has there ever been a person we always assumed to be gay who came out as straight, later in life? I once knew gay man who confessed to me that he found women attractive but didn't dare tell anyone as he thought he would be ostracised.

We've already had a whole day of this and no doubt it will be 'news' for many days to come. I've no idea why we have all the hugging and congratulations. I feel sorry for his wife as she must have known for a while.

Maybe the press weren’t bullying him or maybe he’s been in the business long enough to know that complaining about certain media outlets does you no favours (H&M for example). Either way, there will be a lot of people who are interested and I think it’s always good to lead an honest life.

I haven't followed all the threads and couldn't care less whether he's gay or not but maybe he is a "truthful" type (rare these days!) and decided he felt more comfortable and honest by coming out.

I am not remotely interested in the sexual orientation of people on TV. When they're gay it's often pretty obvious anyway.

As for people feeling sorry for his wife and children I'm sure they'll cope. They must have a very comfortable life and although it may have come as a shock at first PS is far from alone.

Loads of politicians are gay but marry a member of the opposite sex for appearances. Leon Brittain was one of them. I met him face-to-face years ago and he was very effeminate in his appearance, body language and voice. He married a woman who'd been married before and had her own children. Interesting choice!

Surely it's natural to want to live in a way that's in tune with your own preferences, which is why people 'come out'.

It doesn't make a scrap of difference to anyone except those closest to him, but better out than in, I think.

I don't watch GMTV, but in order to understand the subject of this thread I watched a clip of the program covering his announcement. Those still saying the media were bullying him or threatening him obviously haven't watched it, because he says quite clearly he has not had his hand forced in any way, and was making the statement of his own volition.

I didn't know the media were bullying him over it. Can't the discrimination laws be stretched to stopping the media hounding people over their sexual orientation, or their non-disclosure of it?

Well MOnica the wall to wall coverage of this across all forms of media rather contradicts what you’ve posted.

I don’t imagine for one second it’s going to change the behaviour of these kinds of thugs and Id be surprised if he thought it would, but it means he’s now free to live his life as he wants to without the media printing all kinds of spurious stories about him. Now he’s put it out in the open it’s a non story (or will be within a few days) and it’s good that he feels able to be open about that side of his life.

Who cares? Total non-news, What makes him so important that he thinks anyone outside his private circle is remotely interested?

Eloethan certainly it does take some doing to announce that you're gay to people who didn't know. I just don't think any more than his immediate circle had any business with it. It's surely not going to make any difference to his media work? As for making it more acceptable by having famous people coming out in public - does it really make any difference to the thugs who give them a bad time? Will his announcement make any difference to the men who beat up the two lesbians on the bus?

Apparently his mum has been supportive.

I don't care one way or the other. I can understand that it will be easier for him and his family now that it's out there, though.

Maybe his wife wants to move on? They may wish to separate but stay friends, which by the sound of things has unofficially been the case anyway. Who knows? What he has gained by bringing it into the open is that whatever happens has been explained now, so won't be a big story in the future.

It must be very difficult to live with the knowledge that one's personal life is of interest to the press.

He was SO cute....
And Gordon’s sweet too!

I thought it was quite moving actually. He is, I think, old enough to remember - or at least be aware of - how gay men were referred to and treated in the past - being called "queers" and "pouffes" and referred to in the most sneering and demeaning way.

Some parents in those days - and even now - have very disapproving views about homosexuality and would see having a gay son as something acutely embarrassing and shameful.

Children of such families therefore pick up on those cues, and those who find themselves attracted to the same sex internalise those feelings of shame and disgust. They often try to block them out by making great efforts - such as marrying and having children - to convince themselves and everyone else that they are hetererosexual.

This may have been PS's experience, and I think it's rather unkind of people to imply that this revelation is just a fuss about nothing.

How could you Urm

I’d forgotten Gordon the Gofer SirChenjin!
?

Kittye Has anyone suggested that all gay men are effeminate? I haven't. I said I think Philip Schofield is....so what?

Because he’s Gordon the Gopher’s dad obvs

As to why did he have to explain himself - well he didn't. So why did he? I really am not interested in who TV presenters prefer to share their beds with - it's a private matter for them and their own friends and family.

I can’t understand the hero worship thing either when someone comes out as gay. Why is being attracted to someone of the same sex so ‘brave’. - showbiz is full of gay men fgs.

I don't know why such a fuss either. There are millions of gay or bi people out in the world. He's hardly ground-breaking here.

I don’t watch GM. It’s a bit like the tv equivalent of OK or Hello glossy mags. Slebs I don’t recognise. Holly is very pretty and seems lovely. Philip Schofield seems a nice enough individual.

I’m not interested whether he is gay or not. That’s his business. I suppose it’s only newsworthy because he’s been married for 27y and he and his wife have 2 grown up daughters.

This will be hard for the family at first. PS not so much. He’s used to the limelight.

I hope they all get through this okay. That said it’ll blow over and be fish & chip paper in 48 hours.

I've never liked him, he comes across as smug, and I get fed up seeing his smirk everywhere as he's on so many TV programmes and adverts.

I always thought he was gay, I don't care one way or the other .... just feel very sorry for his wife and daughters. Can't understand why he is being treated like a hero.