13 June 2023 , 22:45
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Craig Revel Horwood has shown his support for Phillip Schofield amid some tough times for the presenter.
The Strictly Come Dancing judge, 58, has called on people to leave former This Morning host Phil alone following the dad-of-two parting way with ITV last month.
Phil stepped down as host of the British Soap Awards and Dancing On Ice just days on from his This Morning exit being announced and admitted to an "unwise but not illegal" relationship with a younger co-worker in the past.
"I did have a consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague at This Morning," Phil stated within the statement shared on May 27.
"Contrary to speculation, whilst I met the man when he was a teenager and was asked to help him to get into television, it was only after he started to work on the show that it became more than just a friendship. That relationship was unwise, but not illegal. It is now over."
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Phil's admission sparked huge debates about relationships with co-workers and many were critical of the former ITV star having an affair behind his wife Steph's back.
Phillip Schofield's personal life has been in the spotlight over recent weeks (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Craig Revel Horwood thinks it's time the nation moved on and left the TV star alone (Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)He has since confessed to feeling low and admitted he thinks his TV career is over after 41 years hosting some of the nation's most popular shows.
Strictly's Craig now thinks it's time people went a little bit easier on Phil after the last few weeks of revelations.
"I think Phillip Schofield is entitled to a private life," the choreographer mused in a recent interview.
"Yes, he lied to his colleagues, which is wrong, but he wanted to protect himself and his former lover. It pales in comparison to a war, where innocent people are dying. It's not like he's murdered anyone."
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Craig then added to Best magazine: "How many CEOs have extra-marital affairs with secretaries? A lot. It doesn't make sense to me that it became quite as huge as it did. Leave him alone now, I say."
Discussing the reaction to his extra martial affair with the BBC earlier this month, Phil pondered if some of his critics had homophobic intentions when taking a swipe at him.
"So, if it was a heterosexual relationship, then you know it would have been a bit of a nudge nudge wink wink. If it's a gay relationship, then suddenly it raises eyebrows. It's wrong. It's wrong," Phil mused.
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"People do find each other attractive in different age groups. It does happen, you know, but it's the mere fact that this is so gigantic, and I appreciate the workplace and the history, I get that, but it's the fact that it's... you know, it's so massive. Is predominantly homophobia."