Dear Philip


Philip Schofield, tv presenter comes out gay after thirty years of marriage



Dear Philip,

You came out on tv this morning.
You were brave and anguished and obviously felt that a pubic announcement was the way to go.
I send you my best wishes.
I send you my support.
It was obvious that you have discussed this at length with your immediate family.
Your concern for them was palpable and I hope the new definition of yourself will be easy on them all.....sometimes it's not only the news you have to share that is the important thing, it's the way you share it is vital.
It seems to me that you have shared your news with integrity...but
Being gay is just a tiny part of you
In many cases it's the least interesting thing to explain
Your family will continue to love you
Your friends will too.

For the most part, in this complicated, angry little world, being gay is no big deal anymore.
And I thank goodness for that.

Chin up
Tits out
And best wishes

John Gray
Trelawnyd

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I'm having a gentle sort of day today.
My rib fracture seems to be more of a set of pulled muscles ( I know drama queen) but the pain is just as bad, so I'm dosed up on painkillers as operation dog snot removal is underway.
Trendy Carol ( sporting a lovely mustard coloured winter coat and matching hat)  called around with an unexpected gift and Polish Monika knocked on the lane window to see if I wanted her to walk the dogs....
I've made spiced butternut soup and baked a sourbread loaf



I'll leave you with this shot of Just how well  the French Fire Service protests against cuts to their pension ....

52 comments:

  1. 💘 Brilliant John, well said. 😊

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  2. Perfect response John.

    It was lovely that he felt safe enough to come out with all his friends around him on This Morning. My Mum rang me in floods of tears at how brave he was, how lovely it all was and how much she admired him.

    To me he's still just Philip Schofield, the gentleman and the silver fox. I hope social media and the gutter press continue to treat him kindly.

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  3. Hope he reads your blog.

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  4. how brave to be able to live the rest of your life as your true self. i'm happy for him.

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  5. They strip off in between lobbing lumps of granite at the CRS. What larks!

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  6. He must have felt safe to go public and I'm sure he will be fine. He seems a nice chap.
    Some nice bottoms in that last photo.

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  7. This out-of-the-blue news (which had, quite honestly, never even crossed my mind for one millisecond up to today) should help to neutralise yesterday's publicity of the sorry discovery of the Scottish Finance Minster's inappropriate(!) messages to a 16-year old boy, where some, though these days much fewer than at times I can recall, would have been saying "Typical!" or "Just the sort of things these gays do!"
    I'm delighted for Philip S., and especially thankful to his wife and daughters for, from what we can gather, being so gracious about his action, which must have knocked the entire family, including the man himself, for six. But in itself it's most heartening, especially when it's someone of whom we all know, and with hardly a blemish to his name. Good on you, Phil. Now go forward being proud of who you are!

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    1. Btw: I trust all those French firemen aren't having a wee through the railings? Now that would be DISGUSTING! Ugh!

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  8. As you say, no big deal anymore, but the honesty is important, not least to him.

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    1. True, but in my mind it's more of a private thing

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    2. Agreed that it is a private thing, as in not really our business, but I do wonder how many people are not even honest with themselves. They must feel as though they don't quite know who they are.

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  9. I think it's a disgrace that the French Government is not paying their poor fire fighters enough money. They cannot even afford underpants.

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  10. What lovely asses! Just wish I could have seen them up close and personal...

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  11. I can think of a few former work colleagues who will be feeling a tad tropical on account of that last photo.

    As regards Schofield, of course it should not matter one iota, but I fear that it's happened now on account of our scummy press, who probably have threatened to break a shoddy little "story".

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  12. Barbara Anne4:07 pm

    What a lovely response from you to Mr. Schofield and you're so right, sexual orientation is only a tiny part of everyone.

    It's good to hear you're managing despite the discomfort of those ribs and that your fellow villagers are assisting with this and that.

    Hope tonight's dinner party is as delightful as those lovely buns in France are.

    Hugs!

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    1. John you forgot your usual welcoming gifts.

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  13. Three cheers for Philip Schofield - brave as you say John.
    As for the rest - I feel faint after that bottom photograph (in both senses of the word)!

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  14. Only in France. I think I've seen that movie. LOL

    I honestly don't even know who Schofield is, but I agree, in this day and age, fortunately, it's not such a big deal. (Although I'm sure it is to him.)

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  15. *sniggers "pubic announcement" sorry! no offence meant but it is a great spelling mistake

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  16. Do you think Mrs. Schofield is devastated? Wondering. 30 years is a long time to be with someone and not notice an important piece about your spouse.

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  17. Lovely letter, John. Those firemen sure area bunch of cheeky buggers, eh ?

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  18. John.. for the first time ever I downloaded a picture from your blog, you can guess which one. Those firemen are in really good shape, I love the way French men are comfortable with nudity.
    I think it's still good for people on tv to come out, now thousands of children will see another well known person saying that it's normal to be gay and healthier to be your true self. Famous people kept it "private" when I was growing up and I thought nobody else in the world was gay except me and a few perverts that were arrested for having sex in mall washrooms.

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  19. Although I believe a person's sexuality is no one else's business,I think for famous people and their families it is possibly best to speak of it before others gossip.Now Philip and his loved ones can hopefully move forwards with their lives x

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  20. Well said about Philip Schofield. Have those firemen superglued their willies to the railings?

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  21. I bet you'd like those French firefighters to be lined up outside YOUR front door, LOL!

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  22. Perhaps it's easier for this gentleman to have the information out, over and done with all at once; also, I think Sooo-this-is-me has a great point that a public announcement will have an impact on children and young people and make them feel less alone. And perhaps have an impact on straight young people to show them the diversity in the world. I think there is a variety of ways to spread the news, as individual as each person is. It takes courage no matter how it's done, I think.

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  23. P. S. Your soup and bread looks delicious. Have a good time tonight!

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  24. I really don't want to know and it is his business.

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  25. Re: Mr Schofield. What's so 'brave'? He's not airing his 'news' live on Saudi or Iranian tv.

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    1. Saudi tv ? He be thrown off the roof

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    2. As a teenager I had an Algerian dishy boyfriend who lived with his friends,I did notice they seemed particularly close-then thought it strange when he said "can I take your photo to send to my mother" x

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  26. Well done letter. The fireman photo is not bad either!

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  27. Anonymous8:59 pm

    I really really feel for his family not him. He has just told the country he has lived a lie and strung them on for 30 years. How the hell does his wife and daughters cope with that. His wife must be going through hell in the media spotlight she never asked for. He could have just quietly distanced himself respectfully from family, but no one bit tv drama about him. The wreckage he leaves behind will be horrific.Anna.

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    1. Perhaps we all don't know the type of relationship he has with his family. It sounds that perhaps they accept him and his sexuality but I agree it's not simple and many in " their" situation may be terribly hurt and negatively affected

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  28. Anonymous9:02 pm

    I remember back in the 1970's an actor called Peter Wyngarde who was a huge star on TV playing the lead in a series called 'Jason King ' sort of cut-price James Bond. Anyway, he was in the local paper, Islington Gazette, as being lewd with another man in some really awful old toilets below the viaduct in the Holloway Road. Everyone was shocked as we had no idea he was gay, although in those days the word gay wasn't in use!
    Fancy having to pretend you are something else and even having to marry a woman just because it is expected.
    Good job the world has moved forward, good luck to the Silver Fox, l wonder how long he has been wondering/pondering/worrying about his sexuallity and how to come out
    I also hope that the media and the good ol' British public rally and support him
    At least he hasn't had the news leaked to the gutter press with lurid stories et al.
    Bon appetite this evening
    Tess xx
    Tess

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  29. What really happened between him and Gordon the Gopher in the broom cupboard when the camera wasn't rolling?

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  30. Derek Mackay hasn't done the cause much good.

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  31. I think I smell smoke

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  32. What! No women firefighters. For shame.
    Nice looking dinner coming together, there.

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  33. I am afraid John that I disagree with you. My husband is a "closet" gay (does not even want to admit to himself!). It has made a mockery of 40 years of mariage. You see I am "the other side" of the equation!

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    1. Yes, Catherine I think in your case you are perfectly right. There are people that get very hurt in these complex relationships

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  34. We'll know things have changed when discovering someone is gay will be as unremarkable as discovering they like scrambled egg. Absurd that PS still has such trepidation about making it public.

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    1. That is in the hands of gay people.

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  35. Was only just recently introduced to This Morning and have really enjoyed, so found it heartwarming that watch his coming out, which I think can be a help to others. Sadly, not all families continue to love their gay relations. He’s very fortunate. On another note, I always wanted to do... I mean BE a fireman.

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  36. That's a lot of firefighting butts. Well done.

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  37. It must be so difficult to own up at any age to being gay, but so much harder for the wife and children.
    Left to decide which of their memories are real or cloudy. Having seen things from the other side, behind closed doors is hell.

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  38. I wish him and all this family the very best through this time of great change in all their lives. I have personal experience of this within my family. Arilx

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