Phillip Schofield being gay was common knowledge on This Morning for two years, according to reports.
The telly presenter has been surrounded by a strong support network made up of his ITV celeb pals including Holly Willoughby and Dec Donnelly.
Having been part of the This Morning team for 18 years, a show insider claimed the presenter was confident he had their trust with his secret.
Also, the daytime TV silver fox was said to have felt so comfortable he took younger gay crew members "under his wing" on the This Morning set, The Daily Star reported.
Show insiders told the newspaper: “Lots of people who work at This Morning have known Phillip is gay for a few years.
“It was an open secret among the team but none of them would have ever said anything about it publicly.
“Because Phillip had their trust, he could relax and not worry about being outed. This Morning became a safe space for him.”
The Mirror has approached Phillip Schofield's representative for further comment.
Holly, Dec, Keith Lemon, Dragon Den star Peter Jones and Bradley Walsh were believed to be a close support to their friend Phil.
These have been the celebrities the television star has partied with, enjoyed holidays with and relied on in the wake of any trouble.
It comes after Phil went public with his sexuality on Friday and gave an emotional interview on This Morning.
The ITV star had spilled his feelings in an impassioned blog on Instagram which touched on the heartbreaking conversations on at home.
He said: "With the strength and support of my wife and my daughters, I have been coming to terms with the fact that I am gay.
"This is something that has caused many heart-breaking conversations at home."
Phil got emotional as he shared his feelings with his close friend and co-star Holly Willoughby for the nation to hear.
