Philip Schofield ‘in tears’ as Dame Kelly Holmes speaks of coming out
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Phillip Schofield broke down in tears on Monday’s This Morning as Dame Kelly Holmes laid bare her true emotions over coming out.
The ITV presenter, 60, became emotional as the former Olympic 800 and 1,500m champion, 52, admitted she felt as though she “didn’t want to be here” amid her crippling fears of coming out as a gay woman.
Viewers watched while the pair struggled to speak as they held back tears.
Emotional Schofield revealed he had “been there” after publicly telling the world he was gay live on This Morning in 2020.
Throughout the interview, Dame Kelly admitted she knew she was a gay woman from the age of 18 but she has only recently plucked up the courage to share her sexuality in the hopes of inspiring others who feel trapped to do the same.
Schofield said: “I have been there. I have sat in that chair and went through the same thing.”
The sporting icon said she realised she was gay when she was a soldier in the Women’s Royal Army Corps in 1988 at the age of 17.
At the time, she kissed a female comrade but she kept that part of herself hidden out of fear of being prosecuted because same-sex relationships were banned from the forces.
Dame Kelly revealed she had a “really bad” breakdown in December 2020 and knew at that point she “had to do something”.
She added: “I talk very openly about my mental health but I’ve always been able to relate it to sport.
“Yes, there was an element of that because I’ve wanted to be Olympic champion since I was 14 but I became a self-harmer, I didn’t want to be here, frankly, at some points in my life.”
After she came out, she told the Mirror: “I cried with relief.”
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