Reports have surfaced that This Morning presenter Phillip Schofield, 58, has been in talks with his wife of nearly 27-years Steph Lowe, about getting a divorce. Friends of the TV star have claimed that the pair will “share his £9million fortune” as they don’t want a “costly and bitter court battle” if they decide to split further down the line.
It comes after the ITV host bravely came out as gay on-air back in February earlier this year, where he spoke about how he was “coming to terms” with his sexuality.
Steph supported him all the way and an insider told The Mirror at the time that she was in no rush to get a divorce.
The source said: “She’ll stick with him until he’s settled and happy in a new relationship, and then they’ll talk about an amicable split deal”.
Now, The Sun claims that divorce might be on the cards.
READ MORE: Phillip Schofield ‘creates new space at family home’
A source told the publication: “Phillip and Steph have had a lot of hard, painful conversations over the past 10 months but remain as tight and devoted to one another as ever.
“She has been so supportive, and he won’t skip off into the sunset now and abandon her.
“At the same time, he has no desire to become embroiled in a bitter and costly divorce battle.”
They said Phil is “in no hurry to meet someone new” but divorce has been discussed.
“The D word has now been mooted, albeit in very loose and casual terms. His earning power is at an all-time high, and Steph is entitled to half.
He was hosting BBC show Going Live! and she was working in children’s television on the production team.
They married in 1993 and share two children together, 24-year-old Ruby and 27-year-old Molly, who showed their unwavering support for their dad.
During his honest admission on This Morning, Phil couldn’t thank Steph enough and referred to her as his “rock”.
He said: “I can’t write in any statement what I feel about that woman.
“She is amazing, incredible. There is no one in my life who would have supported me as a wife the way she has supported me. She’s astonishing — literally astonishing.”
He added that he was aware of the “pain and upset” caused but that his feelings had consumed him for years.
In an interview with The Sun on Sunday, Phil declined to comment on whether he is in a relationship with a man or has been in the past.
He told paper: “We will always be a family. That is the one definite, constant, absolute positive thing. And where the wind blows us I don’t know.
“Our daughters have always been a credit to us. And I am so proud of them. When you test them to this degree you wonder. But they have been amazing.”