Phillip Schofield is making a much-trumpeted TV comeback almost two years after dramatically walking away from his ITV career. Are you pleased to see him return to our screens?
Phillip Schofield is back with a big new gig on Channel 5 – and we want to know if you’re pleased to see his return to our screens.
The star’s comeback has caused a stir after the former This Morning star made a dramatic exit from ITV 16 months ago after confessing to an ‘unwise but not illegal’ affair with a younger male colleague.
The fallout from the scandal saw him step down from all his public-facing roles, including being an ambassador for the Prince’s Trust. He left This Morning after 21 years and also gave up his long-running job on Dancing On Ice, where he first hosted in 2006 before returning in 2018 alongside his former best friend Holly Willoughby.
To make things worse, Phillip was replaced as the host of the British Soap Awards, a role he’d held since 2006. But now, long after the scandal shook the industry, he’s quietly been filming a new show for Channel 5 called Cast Away.
Viewers will get to see a haggard-looking Phillip stranded on a tropical island for ten days, looking very different from his usual polished self. While surviving in Madagascar, the 62-year-old will open up about everything that happened over the past two years and reflect on the storm he was at the heart of.
Speaking about his new role, a source told The Sun: “Over the past few months Phil has had quite a few offers for various things – but has steadfastly turned them all down. This sort of challenge has always appealed to him though and after consulting with friends and family, he decided to go for it. It’s all been top secret, and has been an incredibly quick turnaround in order to keep the news quiet.
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“With ten days to himself, no camera crews or production around, he shot some unbelievably raw footage – some of it makes for tough, emotional viewing. But he wanted a chance to share his story, unedited and honest, and let viewers see another side to him,” they added.
The source added that while it was a ‘massive coup’ for Channel 5 and huge news for Schofield, he is in no rush to return to his once lucrative telly career, adding that he was ‘still bruised’.
The TV platform had previously teased Schofield’s appearance in a clip shared across social media. Captioning their upload, they penned: “A celebrity marooned on an uninhabited tropical island off the coast of Madagascar for 10 days is challenged with total isolation, the forces of nature, and the battle within their own mind.”
In the trailer, Phillip is seen mooching around a deserted beach while sporting a white shirt, beige shorts and a hat. Captions along the video read: “One celebrity. On a desert island. Totally alone. With one chance to finally tell his story.” Phillip’s former This Morning colleague Josie Gibson was among the 500 people who had liked the clip.
Taking to the comments, one fan penned: “Phillip Schofield … Good for him!” A second added: “Schofe’s account has just said 9am tomorrow, watch this space … it’s got to be an announcement for this, surely!”
Meanwhile, a third simply typed: “Excited.”
What do YOU think? Are you pleased to see Phil back on our screens? Take our poll above and have your say in the comments below