In all the Phillip and Holly drama, there is one person we are forgetting about.

When a scandal begins to unfold in the public eye, the rumours start off as a whisper. 

A small exchange of 'did you know?' and 'have you heard?' echo around the industry. Then a friend of a friend of a friend catches a whiff of drama and spreads the word as fast as possible.

Often no evidence, just pure speculation that may have been loosely tied to a private moment that's no longer private at all.

Then the headlines begin, and the harsh unpicking of interactions – be it on a morning TV presenting couch or in the Twitter bios – of the characters involved. Non-actions provide all the 'proof' a fan needs to accuse. Silence, particularly when statements are demanded, allows the wildest of theories to run riot.

And then action is required. Actually, action is demanded by the groundswell of questions from fans, advertisers, board members and co-hosts themselves. Inevitably one half is severed from the platform they've stood on for over a decade and they are left rudderless and without the giant network protections they were once afforded. 

It's a no doubt lonely spot to find themselves in. One that feels like a massive tumble from the lofty heights they once called home. A position that surely no one envies at all.

Perhaps apart from one person. One unfortunate character in this public charade who seems to sing a ring lower than everyone else. 

The spouse. 

Watch Phil and Holly present This Morning after a big night out. Post continues after video.

If you feel like you're missing a wedge of context, here's a quick catch-up. (There's also a really long catch-up over here, if you want to dive in deep.)  

Phillip Schofield has been a television presenter for nearly four decades, with his biggest and most long-standing gig being as the co-anchor of This Morning alongside Holly Willoughby. This pair have hosted together for nearly 14 years and have a near-blemish-free track record – earning awards and smashing ratings for their on-screen chemistry.

Their dynamic has always been a platonic one (a formula used across most morning television duos), with Holly in her own relationship and Phil married to his wife Stephanie Lowe, with whom he shares two daughters.

Things obviously changed when in 2020, Phillip Schofield came out as gay.

At the time Phillip was still married to his wife but shortly after his announcement, Phillip moved out of the family home in Oxfordshire and into his own place in London. Phillip and Stephanie are still legally married to this day, and until the latest slew of commentary, they appeared to have no plans to divorce. 

The conversation around Phil's 'coming out' was one met with overwhelming support. The LGBTQI+ community rallied around their new potential ambassador, the Schofield family presented as a united front and Holly publicly shared her support for her 'best friend' in a special This Morning episode about Phil's sexuality released at the time. 

"I will be by your side forever," she stated on national television before sharing a photo of the two of them on Instagram with the caption: "Never been more proud of my friend than I am today."

Since coming out, Phil hasn't been particularly public with his own relationships. He continued to fondly reference his family on the show but never declared if he had a new partner or was even dating.

However, this week that changed, when details of a relationship between Phillip Schofield and a junior male staffer at This Morning were disclosed. The same week that Phil was dropped as the host of This Morning ITV network – releasing a statement that he was resigning from the role. 

Listen to this episode of Mamamia Out Loud, where Mia, Jessie and Holly discuss the end of the Breakfast TV couple. Post continues after podcast.

After quitting ITV, the morning news anchor has since admitted to having an affair with a younger male ITV employee.

Phillip said the relationship with his junior colleague was "unwise but not illegal" and revealed in a statement he "met the man when he was a teenager and was asked to help him to get into television". He apologised for lying to colleagues, employers, the media and the public.

An ITV spokesperson said they were "deeply disappointed by the admissions of deceit" made by the ex-morning show host and confirmed it had cut all ties with the host.

In a statement, Phillip said he was "so, very, very sorry" for being unfaithful to his wife, and for lying to his colleagues, agents, employers, friends, the media and the public.

The timing of it all is messy, with fans now questioning the chicken and egg of it all. Was Phil sacked from This Morning because he had an inappropriate relationship with a colleague? Or does this go back even further... Did Phillip Schofield come out as gay because his affair was going to be leaked?

As has been the formula followed with every bump in this British Morning Telly road, the first person who was questioned after details of the affair were leaked was Holly. 

She was interrogated about her knowledge of the affair, whether she agreed with it, or even helped to cover it up. Being as diplomatic as one can be in a time like this, Holly shared a short statement on her Instagram story that drew a bold black line under her involvement. 

The statement from Holly regarding her co-star's affair. Image: Instagram.

In this tale, still unfolding very much in real-time, the protagonist is Phillip Schofield and his on-screen co-host and best friend, Holly Willoughby, has been alongside him (often against her wishes) in every headline.

Why aren't Phil and Holly friends anymore?

Did Holly know about Phil's secret relationship?

How does Holly feel about this whole saga? And is it going to dent her career?

And while it's good to be considering the collateral damage of one man's alleged mistakes, it seems cruel to be aiming the spotlight at Holly and ignoring Phil's wife altogether.

It's easy to see how it happened this way, though. Phil's most public relationship is with his 'TV wife', Holly, and his marriage to Stephanie is one that has remained wholly private.

But that doesn't mean that she should be left out of the story altogether. 

She shared a life, children and a long marriage with Phil – a marriage that now has a huge amount of question marks getting flung at it. She stood by him when he announced his sexuality to the world. She has continued to support their children, be the primary caregiver and somehow she's done this all while dodging the flashing cameras and prying tabloids trying to dig into Phil's private life. 

It's an impossible job, and one that precisely no woman would want to take on. 

But she's done it. Stephanie has. And yet all the world can see to ask is, 'But how does Holly feel about it?'

Image: Getty + Mamamia.

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