By Tony O’Reilly–
Sir Elton John(pictured) has expressed a flawed judgement that the furore surrounding Phillip Schofield’s affair with a younger This Morning runner is ‘totally homophobic’.
The musician, 76, told the Radio Times that a heterosexual relationship with a similar age gap would not have attracted such negative coverage.
Sir Elton was speaking ahead of his show this Sunday 25 June, for the last UK show of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, as he criticised the status of LGBT+ rights and individuals in America, when he drew parallels with the treatment of the fallen television star.
Confining the issue to that of homophobia, he said that had the affair involved a ‘straight guy in a fling with a young woman’ that details of the relationship ‘wouldn’t even make the papers’.
The veteran artist failed to recognise that Schofield’s misdemeanour was not about his sexuality or the age gap, but about the mess surrounding an already married man lying to his colleagues, the press, and even his own family, when he had been in an inappropriate relationship with a far younger man whom he had met when the boy was just 15.
His speed to join the list of sympathisers of the well connected Schofield exposes his poor assessment of the matter.
Mr Schofield, 61, resigned from ITV last month and was dropped by his talent agency YMU after admitting to an ‘unwise but not illegal’ affair with a younger colleague.
The presenter also alleged that homophobia had motivated criticism towards him, contrasting responses to his affair and Leonardo DiCaprio’s relationships with younger women.
Sir Elton alleged that had Mr Schofield’s affair involved a ‘straight guy in a fling with a young woman’ that details of the relationship ‘wouldn’t even make the papers’.
‘There’s a law now that, if you visit a doctor in Florida, they can refuse to treat you if you’re gay, which I find just unbelievable.
‘We seem to be going backwards. And that spreads. It’s like a virus that the LGBTQ+ movement is suffering.’
He added: ‘I don’t like it at all. It’s a growing swell of anger and homophobia that’s around America.
‘I don’t know if it’s around Britain because I haven’t been here that much. But I feel that the Phillip Schofield thing has been totally homophobic.
‘If it was a straight guy in a fling with a young woman, it wouldn’t even make the papers.’
Mr Schofield himself had alleged homophobia had a part to play in the negative response to the relationship – after he was accused of grooming his former flame.
He also insisted that if the relationship had been heterosexual there would be much more acceptance and even pointed to Titanic star Mr DiCaprio, who is famed for his penchant for dating significantly younger women.
Leonardo DiCaprio, 48, has never dated a woman aged 27 or older — and, at the age of 48, it seems he doesn’t intend to start now.
Last year the actor broke up with his long-term girlfriend, model and actress Camila Morrone, just months after she turned 25, whom he had been dating since 2018.
His other public relationships all took place when the women were in their early 20s — specifically between the ages of 20 and 24, including his famous relationship with Gisele Bündchen, which lasted from 1999 and 2005.
Mr Schofield also suggested the criticism against him was homophobic. He said: ‘Attraction is attraction. It’s no different in the gay world as it is in the heterosexual world or in the lesbian world.
‘There shouldn’t be a difference. This is where homophobia comes in.
‘We did first meet when he was 15, I visited the drama school (he attended).
‘So, yeah, there’s a difference. It’s accepted by Leonardo DiCaprio, it’s not accepted if it’s in the gay world,’ Schofield said at the time, himself failing to recognise the wider implications of his behaviour.
A number of critics have similarly alleged homophobia by the press in the coverage of the former footballer’s story, including Jeremy Clarkson.
However, most of those have come across more as disguised support for Schofield due to various direct or indirect connections to him.
Elton John and his cohort of supporters lack the decency to criticise their fellow television chum for his unacceptable conduct in exploiting his position of power and influence on a young fame hungry lad.
Likely because in the world of the rich and famous, loyalty and support to one another is more important than reprimand to suit their self centred and conceited egos.
Sir Elton John will always be a star the world over, an outstanding contributor of music.
But his judgement here is rejected and absolutely flawed.