Ru Paul’s Drag Race judge Michelle Visage says This Morning presenter Phillip Schofield is a 'gay hero' for coming out earlier this year.
Former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Michelle has praised married Schofe, 58, for his decision to come out live on This Morning, the magazine show he presents with Holly Willoughby.
Phillip revealed he was gay in February on the morning TV programme in a statement read out by his friend and co-host Holly as he was sitting by her side on the couch.
Michelle, 52, told the Sunday Mirror that she reached out to father-of-two Phillip, who has been married to his wife Stephanie Lowe for 27 years, because she didn't want him to feel 'alone or confused', and they met for coffee.
She said: "I am just looking at him as a man who has the balls to come out at this time in his life. He is living his truth. "He is a lovely person. I am so proud of him.
“We WhatsApp each other and I check in on him and he is doing great.
“It is an adjustment period, but I think people are now accepting him.”
She continued: “To me, he has become a gay hero because there are many gay people who will never come out because of the horrible response.
“The world has been so awful at shaming gay people.
"So for him to be coming out publicly is amazing. That was so brave.”
In his new book Life's What You Make It, Phillip has discussed the turmoil he felt about hiding who he was to the point he dramatically refused to go on the ITV show and made himself ill.
The Oldham-born star spoke of the loyalty of his wife Steph, 56, who reassured him she would always unconditionally love him, as would his daughters Molly, 27, and Ruby, 24.
Phillip has said he and Steph have not talked about divorce since he revealed to her that he was gay.
In his autobiography, Phil hit out at suggestions he lied to Steph, saying: "I didn't know I was gay when I married Steph. If I had, I wouldn't have got married."
"When things got really dark, [Steph] reminded me how much they all loved me and that there was nothing that the four of us couldn't cope with."
In February, minutes before appearing on This Morning with co-host and friend Holly Willoughby, Phillip posted a heartfelt statement where he told fans and viewers he is "coming to terms with the fact I am gay."
