Phillip Schofield’s daughter Molly has hit back at trolls who suggested she had changed her surname to distance herself from her father.
The former This Morning presenter sparked controversy last year following revelations of a past “unwise but not illegal” affair between him and a younger colleague, for which Phillip has now apologised for, admitting he’d lied about it previously.
In his resignation statement for the ITV show, he claimed that their “consensual on-off relationship” was “now over”. Schofield publicly came out as gay four years earlier and has remained supported by his family amidst the controversy, the Mirror reports.
This includes support from his daughters Molly Schofield, 31, and Ruby Schofield, 28, whom he shares with ex-wife Stephanie Lowe, 60, as he makes his TV return.
Molly was slammed by critics who insisted she had adopted her mother’s surname ‘Lowe’ out of shame, prompting her to take to Instagram Stories. Sharing snaps with her dad, she expressed her feelings: “What a night, thank you all for the support.”
Further reinforcing her stance with another post, she added: “Couldn’t be MORE proud,” alongside a screenshot of the troll’s comment querying her loyalty.
The comment read: “So if she’s so proud of him why does she use her mother’s name and go as Molly Lowe? That’s a recent change. She was always Schofield and no doubt was happy to use it.”
Responding to the insinuation that using her mother’s name meant she lacked pride in her father, Molly countered with: “I’m Molly Schofield… and proud to be,” accompanied by a middle finger emoji, making her position clear.
Molly and Ruby are set to make a splash on the TV show Cast Away about their dad Phillip’s public coming-out and the impact it had on their family. While filming a barbecue scene in her home garden, Molly reflected on the emotional journey, stating: “When my dad came out it was very hard for me. It was very hard for the entire family.
“Mainly my mum, of course – everything was turned upside down. But we talked through it and [over time] it’s got easier.”
She also voiced her unwavering support, saying: “My mum and my sister, we’re all the same. We’ll always continue to support him, no matter what. I never thought it would have gone the way it has.”
Molly counts herself lucky that her parents remained “best friends” through it all. Furthermore, in a heartfelt reveal in the new series, Molly shared how the tribulations actually brought her family “closer”.
Reflecting on her father’s struggles, she said: “We’ve seen him at his lowest times, but I’ve been so proud of him, and as a daughter to see the love that people had for him that when it’s taken away it’s just heartbreaking.”
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