Phillip Schofield said the affair with a former colleague was “unwise but not illegal” but had now caused him to “lose everything” saying he is also afraid to leave the house.
The 61-year-old went on to claim that if the affair had been a “male-female” relationship then “it wouldn’t be such a scandal” in an interview with the BBC.
The former This Morning presenter suggested the backlash he has faced would have been different if he wasn’t gay as he suggested there was an element of homophobia.
Phillip came out as gay in 2020 with the support of his colleague Holly Willoughby and his family, including his wife of 27 years, Stephanie Lowe, with whom he shares daughters Molly and Ruby.
Former Wales captain Gareth Thomas has had his say on the saga as he addressed the scrutiny Phil has received in recent weeks.
READ MORE: Amanda Holden cheekily mocks Holly Willoughby’s comeback after Schofield scandal
The ex-Wales skipper added that social media has “made everyone a journalist”.
In a new interview with Wales Online, Gareth commented: “It’s interesting. You do wonder if it would be different, and if you’re wondering that then the reality is it probably would be.
“But around this whole saga, the one thing I’ve tried to deal with is the facts and that’s what makes it very difficult to have an opinion on it, because the facts just aren’t there at the moment.”
He continued: “There’s a lot of ‘he said, she said’ around it, a lot of conspiracy theories and intrusion as there always is. So I’m trying to make conscious decisions now on facts, which is a struggle in the society that we live in because everybody is a journalist now.
“Social media allows people to voice an opinion and to get that opinion echoed. And those opinions are presented as journalistic facts when really it’s something that they don’t know any facts about.
“I do think that when it comes to that claim that he made, there can be an argument for it,” he added.
“The fact that we’re questioning it and the fact that we potentially feel it could be [homophobic] I think says a lot about discriminative nature and how the marginalised characteristic of a person opens them up to discrimination and stereotypes that other people hold.”
Jeremy Clarkson and actor Rupert Everett are among those who have agreed that the Schofield coverage has appeared homophobic in nature, with the former Top Gear host describing it as a “witch hunt”.
Gareth, who revealed he was HIV positive in September 2019, came out as gay in 2009.
A BBC documentary, Gareth Thomas: HIV and Me, aired shortly after he shared his health diagnosis.
He timed the announcement to coincide with his taking part in an Ironman triathlon.
The ex-rugby player previously worked with Schofield when he took part in Dancing on Ice in 2013.
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