Phillip Schofield has spoken up about his late father’s response to his decision to stop driving.
On Thursday’s This Morning, the 60-year-old was discussing elderly drivers with co-host Holly Willoughby, 42, and whether drivers over a certain age should retake their test.
Following the news on Wednesday that Mary Poppins Dick Van Dyke, 97, had ‘crashed automobile after losing control’ in Malibu, the subject arose.
Phillip said the matter touched close to home, recalling the moment his family determined that his father’s driving days were over.
‘I can remember that occurring to my dad because he had a heart ailment and it meant it wasn’t safe for him to drive his car,’ he revealed. And I could see his grief on his face.’
Guest Tom Swarbrick questioned The Cube host if he personally told his father to give up his automobile, to which Phil replied, ‘Yeah, but he was OK.’
‘It was an arrangement with our family,’ Phil added, visibly moved. It was a contract. Nobody was compelled to do anything. But he only said, “I actually agree.”
‘And the sadness on his face that day. You could see the little boy gone.’
Phil has previously discussed how his father might have reacted to him coming out as homosexual on This Morning in February 2020.
Speaking on Chris Evans’ How To Wow podcast, he admitted the thought of how his dad would have reacted played on his mind.
He explained: ‘That’s like a grenade going off in my head. When I went down to Cornwall when I told my mum, I said, “What do you think dad would have said? Would he still be proud?”
‘Thankfully she said, “Yes… he’ll think you’re brave and he will always be proud of you.” So that is good… My dad was one of the kindest, sweetest, most lovely people ever.’
This Morning airs on weekdays from 10am on ITV.
Source My Celebrity Life.
