This Morning presenter Phillip Schofield has slammed trolls on social media who accused him of being in a new relationship.
Phil took to Instagram to share a gorgeous sunny pic of himself taking a walk with long-term family friend Simon Schofield, who he met over 20 years ago during his West End heyday.
Phil captioned the post, “First socially distanced walk with a mate! Thank you @sischofe .. last person I had a drink with before the wheels fell off, first I’ve seen as we try to reattach them!”
Predictably, the comments were flooded with speculation the pair are more than pals after Phil came out as gay at the start of the year.
One commenter wrote, “Yeah ok Phil 'mate'! Wink wink!” while another childishly said, “"Mate is that what they call it nowadays”, followed by a laughing emoji.
CHECK OUT Holly Willoughby: All her clothes from This Morning and where to get it cheaper on the high street
Holly Willoughby: All her clothes from This Morning and where to get it cheaper on the high street
1 of 6TUESDAY 3 May
Today Holly has opted for a smart casual look. She's wearing a blue floral ruffle top, black trousers and black heels. What we're loving about this outfit is that you can dress it up with heels like Holly, or keep it casual with trainers. Holly's outfit costs more than £150 but we've found a high street dupe...What Holly is wearing:Ditsy floral contrast broderie ruffle blouse, Warehouse, £69.Clara trousers, Sezane, £95.**Where you can get Holly's look for less on the high street:**From New Look you can recreate Holly's entire outfit for less than £40...
2 of 6holly willoughby this morning outfit 3 may 2022
3 of 6WEDNESDAY 4 May
It's Wednesday and again Holly has opted for a smart/casual outfit. She's paired a white shirt, green midi skirt and nude heels together. Again this is a great outfit if you're heading into the office or going out for lunch with the girls. Holly's outfit is on the pricer side, so we've found a similar look that'll save you some cash...What Holly is wearing:Pure Collection linen shirt, John Lewis, £85.Suede wrap skirt, Jigsaw, £285.**Where you can get Holly's look for less on the high street:**From River Island you can copy Holly's style for less than £70...
4 of 6holly willoughby 4 may 2022
5 of 6THURSDAY 5 May
It's Thursday and for her final look of the week, Holly is wearing a blue and white floral dress. The This Morning presenter looks gorgeous and we're loving this dress. We're not the biggest fan of the £200+ price though, so we've found a high street dupe.What Holly is wearing:Fellini blue and cream tropical print cotton shirt dress, L.K. Bennett London, £299.**Where you can get Holly's look for less on the high street:**From Forever Unique you can recreate Holly's outfit for less than £60...
6 of 6holly willoughby this morning outfit
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Clearly not amused at the accusations, Phil posted a dignified response.
“Yes! A Mate!” he said. “That’s what they can still call family friends who you’ve known for 20 years and who come round to check if you’re ok”.
Some fans jumped to Phil’s defence, with one writing, “Welcome to Queerland, where, every time you post a photo of someone who presents as the same gender as you, people assume you are dating 🙄🙄🙄. Soz, buddy, you’ll get used to it and perfect your eye roll in no time. 💙💙”.
Phil has been isolating with his family in their home in Oxfordshire despite reportedly moving out and into a London bachelor pad last month.
But he’s happily still very close to his wife Stephanie and daughters, sharing a snap of a Murder Mystery night where he insisted, “We’re all in character and taking it very seriously.”