Phillip Schofield emotionally wishes daughter Ruby a happy 25th birthday

‘I’m sorry I can’t see you, darling!’ Phillip Schofield emotionally wishes daughter Ruby a happy 25th birthday live on This Morning… separated from her due to the UK’s lockdown

Phillip Schofield emotionally wished his daughter Ruby a happy 25th birthday on Thursday, live on This Morning.

The presenter, 58, has been unable to see his daughters thanks to the UK’s current third lockdown, and so took the opportunity to ‘welcome her to the lockdown birthday club’.

He said, as the show opened: ‘I am going to start; it’s my daughter Ruby’s birthday today, she has joined the lockdown birthday club.

Sending love: Phillip Schofield emotionally wished his daughter Ruby a happy 25th birthday on Thursday, live on This Morning

‘Happy birthday, Ruby. Sorry I can’t see you, darling, but have a lovely day.’

Co-hosts Holly Willoughby and Vanessa Feltz also sent their wishes to Ruby, whom Phillip shares with wife Stephanie.

The pair also share another daughter, Molly, 27.

He also shared a birthday message to Ruby on social media, captioning it: ‘Welcome to the lockdown birthday club @Rubyschofe, Love you so much and happy birthday gorgeous.’

Phil is close to his daughters, after they – and Stephanie – stood by him last year when he came out publicly as gay, after 27 years of marriage.

‘You never know what’s going on in someone’s seemingly perfect life, what issues they are struggling with, or the state of their well being – and so you won’t know what has been consuming me for the last few years,’ he said at the time. 

Family: Phillip shares Ruby with his wife Stephanie. The pair also share another daughter, Molly, 27

Family: Phillip shares Ruby with his wife Stephanie. The pair also share another daughter, Molly, 27

He added: ‘With the strength and support of my wife and my daughters, I have been coming to terms with the fact that I am gay.

‘My girls have been astonishing in their love, hugs and encouraging words of comfort.’

He came out a year ago on This Morning, with Holly by his side, and said to her: ‘They are so amazing in their love and support. I sat them down and I told them, and they jumped up and gave me a big hug and then they hugged Steph and they said, “It’s okay”.

‘We’ll always be a family. Always, us four, is what we call ourselves.’

This Morning airs weekdays on ITV at 10AM.