Phillip Schofield’s brother sexually abused a schoolboy before confessing some of his actions to his famous brother, a court heard.

Timothy Schofield, 54, appeared at Exeter Crown Court charged with sexual offences against a teenage boy.

He confided in the This Morning host, and travelled to his home to tell him he had an “obsessive sexual interest” in the boy, the Daily Mail reported.

The court heard Timothy told his brother he and the teenager had special “time” together, the paper reported, to which the TV personality responded with “what the hell is [that]?” 

Phillip allegedly warned his younger sibling that it should “never happen again”, before giving a vital statement to police which forms a key part of the case against him.

Charged with 11 counts

Timothy, of Bath, Somerset, is charged with 11 counts of sexual offences against the boy over three years from October 2016, all of which he denies.

He is accused of causing him to watch sex acts and engage in sex acts. He also allegedly performed sex acts in front of the accuser.

The jury heard how Timothy’s alleged victim confronted him in August 2021 and said “things” need to stop - a month before Timothy visited his brother to confide in him.

Prosecutor Peter Stellard KC said the “perverted relationship” was “affecting” Timothy as well as his alleged victim, according to the Daily Mail. 

He said: “On the 12th of September 2021 he phoned his brother Phillip saying that his head was in a mess and could he come and see him.

“The defendant is seven years younger than Phillip and they had not been particularly close growing up, however in December 2019 the defendant told his brother he was gay.

“According to Phillip the defendant travelled up that day and he was extremely agitated. His brother described him as very angry and distressed.”

The judge, Mrs Justice Johanna Cutts, asked the jury to ignore any distractions stemming from Phillip Schofield’s fame, stressing that it had no relevance to the case.

She added that Mr Schofield would not be giving evidence in the case.

The trial, which is expected to last a week, continues.