Phillip Schofield has revealed how RuPaul’s Drag Race judge Michelle Visage was a support to him after he came out publicly earlier this year.
The This Morning presenter announced he was gay live on the ITV daytime show back in February in an emotional interview with co-host Holly Willoughby.
Prior to the country going into lockdown a month later, Phillip went out with Michelle after she messaged him to check how he was.
Speaking on Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place podcast, Phillip praised the former Strictly Come Dancing contestant for being “one of those really compassionate, kind people”.
He said: “She was one of those people that messaged me. ‘Right,’ she said, ‘I’m going to take you out for coffee. We’ve got to talk. I want to make sure you’re okay.’
“We went out, and I said, ‘I feel like I’ve joined a club, but I don’t know whether I’ve got the right credentials. I don’t know. Can I put a rainbow after stuff that I’ve said?’ And she said, ‘Of course you can.’”
Revealing the advice the proud LGBTQ+ ally gave him during their meeting, where he admitted feeling like he didn’t know “what I can and can’t do”, Phillip continued: “Michelle said, ‘You’re beating yourself up for no reason. Welcome to the club. And what’s more, you have made a massive difference to people who also didn’t realise that they perhaps could have membership to that club.’
Phillip and Michelle had previously shared their affection for one another on social media, after she appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2015.
When she was in the house, Phillip tweeted: “I actually love #Michelle and I think she’d make a great friend. #CBB.”
She later replied to him, saying: “hey @schofe THANK YOU for the support and kind words. you are truly MY silver fox. rawr.”
The full interview with Phillip appears on this week’s episode of Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place podcast, available to stream now.
Useful websites and helplines:
- London Lesbian & Gay switchboard (LLGS) is a free confidential support & information helpline for LGBT communities throughout the UK | 0300 330 0630
- Manchester Lesbian and Gay Switchboard is a free support, information and referral service for the Manchester and North-West area | 0161 235 8000
- Stonewall for more information on other LGBT services and helplines | 08000 502020
