Elton John has said that the reaction to Phillip Schofield's affair with a younger colleague is "totally homophobic".
In an interview with the Radio Times, the 76-year-old singer claimed that a heterosexual relationship with a similar age gap would not have attracted such negative coverage.
John made his remarks as he discussed the status of LGBT+ rights and individuals in America, which he compared to the treatment of the former This Morning presenter.
"Well, it's all going pear-shaped in America. There's violence, [discriminatory] laws enacted in Florida, which are disgraceful," he said.
"There's a law now that, if you visit a doctor in Florida, they can refuse to treat you if you're gay, which I find just unbelievable.
"We seem to be going backwards. And that spreads. It's like a virus that the LGBTQ+ movement is suffering."
He added: "I don't like it at all. It's a growing swell of anger and homophobia that's around America.
"I don't know if it's around Britain because I haven't been here that much. But I feel that the Phillip Schofield thing has been totally homophobic.
"If it was a straight guy in a fling with a young woman, it wouldn't even make the papers."
Schofield resigned from ITV last month and was dropped by his talent agency YMU after admitting to an "unwise but not illegal" affair with a younger male runner on This Morning.
During an interview with the BBC's Amol Rajan, the 61-year-old said that he had "lost everything" after admitting to the affair and that the fallout had resulted in a "catastrophic effect" on his mind.
He also alleged to the Sun that homophobia had motivated criticism towards him.
John joins other high-profile figures in criticising the backlash against Schofield.
In a statement shared with the PA news agency earlier this month, LGBT+ rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said that the "trashing" of Schofield had "more than a whiff of homophobia".
Tatchell called the public response a "rank double standard", while actor Rupert Everett described the media coverage as "insane".
The full interview with Elton John is in the Radio Times, out now.
Source: Press Association
