Phillip Schofield's wife has broken her silence after her husband of 27 years revealed that he is gay on live television.
Stephanie Lowe, who married the former NZ media personality in 1993, told The Sun: "We've had to face the most emotionally painful time in our 27 years of marriage."
The couple wed in Scotland in 1993, and Schofield has told of how he always battled with his sexuality.
"I am not saying I didn't know.
"Whatever was 'there' I thought, 'OK, whatever this is, you stay back because I am happy.'" he told The Sun.
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Schofield praised his wife and two adult daughters, Molly and Ruby, for supporting him through the "darkest of places".
"And there is no question for me it got very dark, because it felt hopeless.
"There is no question, in those moments, when I couldn't see a way forward, it was Steph and my girls — through their strength — who hauled me back," he said.
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A source told the Sunday Mirror that Lowe has no plans to divorce Schofield - until he finds new love.
"She's saying 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."
Schofield, co-host of ITV's This Morning show, came out to viewers in an emotional interview with on-screen partner Holly Willoughby that followed an Instagram post sharing the news.
"With the strength and support of my wife and my daughters, I have been coming to terms with the fact I am gay," the 57-year-old TV host said.
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Speaking with emotion, Schofield told Willoughby that he had "never had any secrets" from his wife: "This is tough. This is not something that has happened quickly. I've had to deal with this in my head for quite some time.
"We have gone through this together. We have been very open and very honest.
"I cannot write in any statement how I feel about that woman. She is amazing. She is literally astonishing."
Explaining his decision to come out now, Schofield said he had been living a lie.
"I wasn't being honest with myself," he said. "You know this has been bothering me for a very long time.
"I think everybody does these things at their own speed, in their own time, when they feel the time is right.
"There is no question that it, in recent times, has consumed my head. And has become an issue in my head.
"All you can be in life, is honest with yourself. And I was getting to the point when I knew I wasn't honest with myself.
"I was getting to the point where I didn't like myself very much because I wasn't being honest with myself."
Willoughby later shared her support in an Instagram post, writing: "Never been more proud of my friend than I am today."
Schofield took to social media to thank his fans and has urged others struggling with their sexuality to follow his lead, encouraging people to open up to family and friends.
"You will never know how important your support has been today," he wrote in a post shared on his Instagram story and Twitter account.
"I've read as much as I can. Please please, no matter your age or your thoughts, TALK to someone, don't let your head beat you and hopefully you'll find out that your friends & family have a remarkable ability to surprise you with their love and understanding."
Schofield has dual British and New Zealand citizenship. He grew up in New Zealand and began his career in TV here before moving back to the UK.
In New Zealand, he had his first TV job as the initial presenter of the youth music programme Shazam! in 1982. He also spent two years working for Radio Hauraki, before moving back to the UK in 1985, where he became the first in-vision continuity presenter for Children's BBC on weekdays.
