Phillip Scofield Why all the Fuss

Trisher. I haven't noticed any flagrantly anti-gay messages on here. Most of the negative comments relate to the totally ridiculous and extremely unsavoury OTT way PS and all his showbusiness mates have dealt with it, from the announcement onwards. Or to the way his wife and daughters have been treated in all of this. Apparently he knew on his wedding day! Did he tell her? Did he give her the same choices as he gave himself? Was it a church wedding with religious vows in the sight of God? On Friday it was known that "something big" was going to happen, though only the very chosen few knew. All the pre booked guests were cancelled to make room for it.

Seacliff I saw that interview with Joan Collins and Perez Hilton today, they both inferred that it was "known in the industry" Philip Schofield was gay and his hand had been forced by the young man he has been having a relationship with for the last 6 years. (He has been named on Social Media with many photos of him with PS published)

I read that the mainstream press are keeping quiet on the runner story as a super injunction may have been taken out by PS. Also Joan Collins started talking about it all on Good Morning Britain, and was quickly "shut up" before she could say more.

There is obviously much more to all this, and they are trying desperately to hush it all up. Him being gay is surely not a problem for his career these days, although it may have been when he married. It's just the hypocrisy that annoys me.

We just do not know what has happened between him and his wife, nor do we need to.

I just hate the way he is being lauded by so many media people for being "so brave". That is an insult to really brave people.

TBF that was due to one of the judges and I thought it was inappropriate. We don't and can't know if PS knew that was going to happen before hand.

Good grief, he received a standing ovation when he was on a show - dancing on ice .

Why the need to come out now and in such a dramatic way

I agree trisher. Where was that reported Sparklefizz?

Using a woman to protect himself was the best idea ?

Being homosexual hasn’t affected any show business career for
many a year

Some of the comments on this thread illustrate vividly why PS felt staying in the closet was the best idea.

Disgusted with Phillip Scofield.

And to all those supporting his use of his wife to help his career...

What about how his children feel about him using their mother? - Whether she was, or was not complicit, the children never asked to be born into a sham marriage.

Scofield is a coward.

There is a lot more to this than we are being told.

The 18yr old lad he befriended needs support.

janipat I agree
obviously that happened a lot in years gone by when homosexuality was a criminal offence and there were many unhappy marriages as a result.
But there was absolutely no excuse for marrying as a cover in the 1990s despite what some may believe.

I’ve just read an article that alleges he was having a relationship with a very young man ( compared to him) who threatened to “out him” . Not sure how true it is so I have decided not to post the link .

He said he knew he felt this way on his wedding day, his wife must feel used. She will say she supports him publicly for the sake of their children but .........

It's reported that his wife is "totally devastated" so I guess it was a surprise, ReadyMeals

Just to address the points some people are making about cheating on his wife. In many of the cases of high profile extra-marital sex, the partner is complicit or condoning. In this particular case he might have confided he was at least bisexual even before they got married, just not to anyone else. And I suspect there are many many politicians marriages where the couple are working together for the good of the party and their beliefs and they would have mutually divorced years ago if they were not concerned it would affect their political careers so they are quite happily accepting extramarital relationships. IMHO it's only "cheating" if the other partner is being fooled into thinking it's a traditional monogamous marriage.

So to save his employment prospects he gets married.

Apparently a judge on Dancing with Ice has called him a 'legend'. This is getting rather silly now. It seriously detracts from the issues people who are very deeply involved in this admission will be dealing with- his wife of all those years and his daughters.

He says he knew he was gay when he married and that thought may haunt his wife for a very long time. She and his two daughters will have to come to terms with the realisation what he is not the person they thought he was. As difficult as it's been for him, it's not all about him. I pity them all.

I don’t expect anyone would deny that some homosexual people experience bullying, abuse and attack (as do other sections of society, notably my autistic grandson) But how does that excuse somebody who knows they are gay marrying a woman without revealing that truth? Did his wife really deserve to be used as a “cover”?

Some people on here seem to think homosexuality is a non-issue these days, that there is no reason for anyone to be reluctant to say they are gay and that people like Scofield are making a big production out of nothing.

That is patently not true. Some people are actually thrown out of the family home for being gay, and, in the public arena, physical and verbal attacks on gay people are increasingly being reported. There is also much evidence to demonstrate that certain sportspeople, for instance in football and rugby are afraid to say they are gay. I don't suppose having people calling you vile names, sneering at you, spitting at you, threatening you, beating you up, etc etc. is a great incentive to being "out and proud".

Additionally, investigative journalists have also found that saying you are gay can negatively impact your employment prospects.

attitude.co.uk/article/gay-man-left-with-horrific-injuries-after-brutal-homophobic-attack-outside-london-club-1/16781/

www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/thug-jailed-for-beating-gay-man-to-ground-and-breaking-his-leg-in-vicious-homophobic-attack-a3724471.html

www.pinknews.co.uk/2007/01/23/gay-man-wins-orientation-discrimination-case/

www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1137495/gay-women-attacked-camden-london-homophobic-assault

www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/8253076.mob-attack-keighley-couple-in-barkerend-bradford/

I have seen online somewhere that his wife had no idea.
A report of an interview she has given, where she broke down in tears.

I think the only reason PS announced this is because he possibly got caught. Surely, it does not take you all these years to know you are gay. My gay pals agree, most of them knew by their teens or twenties. I understand why PS hid who he was. What I do feel is he robbed his wife of all those years where the lady obviously thought she was in a genuine marriage with a straight man. I don't think it's fair that he married her , unless of course she knew from the beginning? Im trying to put myself in her shoes, I would be devastated. It's all very well rallying round PS but who is rallying round his wife and daughters? Where is all this support for them? Unfortunately, this isn't finished and I have a horrible feeling that PS either has met someone or a new somebody will be announced at some point. I really hope his wife and daughters are ok. Rather than feeling all lovey dovey and dewy eyed, I think it is a very sad situation all round. The way this was all done, he will regret it. If he isn't already.

No trisher , not a sheltered life. When anyone chooses to come out is up to them, but to live a lie , to marry , this may be your society’s norm but not mine.

society's norms

What are they?
Even in 1993 it would not have raised much interest.

Well Annie you have obviously led a sheltered life. Many people don't come out until they are in their 40s or even 50s. Never underestimate the power of the desire to live an 'ordinary' life and fit in with society's norms.

Sparkle no surprise, we hear of young boys struggling to come to terms with their sexuality but men of 30 !