"I will die sorry": Phillip Schofield breaks his silence on his career-ending affair
Former This Morning host Phillip Schofield has broken his silence over his affair with a colleague 30 years his junior in an interview with The Sun.
And while the disgraced British television star shared that he had been left feeling “utterly broken and ashamed” over the whole ordeal, he stressed that any rumours of grooming were not true.
“I did not,” he told the publication, after a week of the social media rumour mill running riot. “I did not [groom him].”
“I know the photos of us circulating on Twitter look shocking, but I’m not a groomer,” Phillip insisted.
He noted that “there are accusations of all sorts of things”, but claimed that had never been an abuse of power, as “we’d become mates … but of course I understand that there will be a massive judgement, but bearing in mind, I have never exercised that anywhere else.”
According to Phillip, the two remain friends. And although the ex-show runner had been 30 years younger than him at the time of their affair, he added that the relationship had only begun after the man was 20 years old, when “something just happened between us that changed everything.”
“I assume somebody, somewhere, assumed something was going on, correctly” he shared, “and didn't say anything.
“At the time I did not think about it possibly ruining my career. I really probably only thought about it when I saw the rumour mill, and saw it growing.
“Then I saw the link with the drama school photo [from] all those years before, and thought, ‘this looks shocking’."
However, as Phillip said, he hadn’t lied in order to protect his own career, but instead because the other man in the affair hadn’t wanted “his name in public. He wanted his own life.”
Phillip explained that “the lies grew bigger and bigger and bigger”, and that it was starting to have a deep effect on both of them.
“It got to the stage where it was out of control,” he said, “and for whatever cost, it had to stop.
“I have massive guilt, and regret. I’ve made a mistake, I’ve had an affair at work.”
“I think my greatest apology must go to him,” Phillip revealed. “It has brought the greatest misery into his totally innocent life, his totally innocent family, his totally innocent friends.
“It has brought the greatest grief to them.”
He added that the pair hadn’t spoken since the story broke - and that he also no longer speaks to his former friend and co-host Holly Willoughby - but that when things began to spiral out of control, he’d “paid for his lawyers to independently work on his behalf.
“I am deeply sorry and I apologise to him because I should have known better. I should have acted the way I have always acted. I should not have done it.
“I’m sorry. And I will forever be sorry. I will die sorry. I am so deeply mortified.”
Images: Getty