Phillip Schofield pours cold water on feud with Holly Willoughby after coming out as gay

Pair were rumoured to have been locking heads behind-the-scenes at This Morning

Phillip Schofield has poured cold water on his feud with This Morning co-host Holly Willoughby in a moving Instagram post that saw him come out as gay.

The presenters have long been rumoured to be locking heads behind-the-scenes of the ITV show. The pair have continually denied the claims.

In a post addressing his sexuality, Schofield – who has been married to Stephanie Lowe for 27 years – said: “My friends are the best, especially Holly, who has been so kind and wise – and who has hugged me as I sobbed on her shoulder.”

He added: “At ITV, I couldn’t hope to work with more wonderful, supportive teams.”

Willoughby posted a picture of the pair on her own Instagram page, writing: “Never been more proud of my friend than I am today.”

Schofield then appeared on the series alongside Willougby, who supportively embraced him as he was interviewed by stand-in hosts Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes.

“My inner conflict contrasts with an outside world that has changed so much for the better,” Schofield wrote in the post. “Today, quite rightly, being gay is a reason to celebrate and be proud.”

“This is something that has caused many heart-breaking conversations at home,” he wrote. “I have been married to Steph for nearly 27 years, and we have two beautiful grown-up daughters, Molly and Ruby. My family have held me so close: they have tried to cheer me up, to smother me with kindness and love, despite their own confusion. Yet I still can’t sleep and there have been some very dark moments.

Celebrities from the world of entertainment have been praising Schofield for his decision on social media.