PHILLIP Schofield says there are parts of TV he doesn’t miss on his new show – as he cracks jokes with his former This Morning co-host Holly Willoughby.
The TV veteran, 62, is opening up on his fantastic exit from ITV ahead of being sent to a desert island for Channel 5 documentary Cast Away.
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Phillip Schofield will reveal in his new show Cast Away that there are parts of television he doesn’t miss Credit: Channel 5
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Schofield hints at a lack of support from her longtime friend and co-host Holly WilloughbyCredit: Rex
Phillip opens up about how he was forced to quit This Morning after 22 years following a relationship with a much younger runner – and hints at a lack of support from his long-term friend and co-presenter Holly, 43.
He says: “Of course I miss parts of the TV program. I miss most of it, if I’m honest, I miss most of it.
“But there are parts that I really, really, really don’t miss.
“You learn a lot about people, I don’t miss that.”
He adds on the show, which starts on Monday: “When you throw somebody under the bus, you have to have a really damn good reason to do it.”
Phillip also appeared to poke fun at the chilling moment when Holly broached the subject of his departure on This Morning, bizarrely opening the show with: “Are you okay?”
He was seen having a family barbecue in the garden of his London home and feeding his wife Stephanie Lowe and their daughters Molly, 31, and Ruby, 28.
As he does so, he laughs: “If you’re fine, then we’re fine, and I’m fine too.” . . are you ok?”
Holly – whose name is never mentioned – is not the only target in the program, which will run for three consecutive nights.
In another scene, he appears to be cutting ties with his former employers ITV, where he worked for decades on a range of shows including Dancing on Ice.
He says: “I’m obviously 4/1 for another jungle show (ITV’s I’m A Celebrity).
Phillip Schofield’s return to TV confirmed as he leaves ITV for rival channel
“Even though it’s run by my best friends, there are some channels you just won’t work for.
“There are just some people you won’t work for.”
He also blames himself in Phillip Schofield: Cast Away, where he is forced to scavenge for food and water and live in a flimsy beach shelter.
Speaking about his relationship, he admits: “It was an unwise and unprofessional thing, I will regret it forever. You know, I screwed up.
“I made a mistake and I hurt the people around me.”
Phillip, who can still be seen wearing his wedding ring, reveals that he didn’t resign last year on This Morning, he was fired.
The biggest grenade that exploded in your life. It all came to a sudden, very abrupt end – one minute you’re there and then you’re gone. You know how it feels to be cancelled
Phillip Schofield
Asked if he thinks he might end up leaving the desert island, just off the coast of Madagascar, he says: “It’s unthinkable that I would quit my job.”
“I’m not giving up. I’m fired. But I never gave up.”
Phillip also explains why he wants to take part in the new show, exclusively revealed by The Sun this week.
He says: “This is the first time I’ve sat in front of a camera since the worst day of my life. I spent so much time thinking, but if you do it in four walls, nothing changes.”
Describing his departure from television as “the biggest grenade that went off in your life,” he added: “It all came to a sudden, very abrupt end.
“One minute you’re there and then you’re gone. You know how it feels to be fired.”
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He tells how he was forced to leave This Morning after an affair with a young staffer Credit: Louis Wood
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Phillip confirms he didn’t resign from This Morning last year but was fired Credit: Channel 5
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He said: ‘This is the first time I’ve sat in front of a camera since the worst day of my life’ Credit: Channel 5
Phillip says he was also subjected to horrific abuse on social media after his departure and had to turn off comments.
However, he hopes that the 10-day stay in prison can help him “break free” as he promises that he “will not be defeated”.
He says, “You get beaten up. It hurts me. It really, really hurts. This is such a part of my life that I was just sad.
“But now I want to see if the final isolation can finally set me free. . . while I’m on a desert island for ten whole days.
“Can I turn the corner? This is another world. It’s nice to discover new things about yourself and dig a new path for yourself.
“I will find a way. I will not be defeated. I just feel my toxicity tanks emptying.
“I hope that I have a positive experience for myself and that I am fairly beaten. . . we hope so. But I’m not doing this as ‘poor me’. I have no right to ‘poor me’.”
His family is also seen discussing for the first time the moment he came out as gay in February 2020, as well as the scandal surrounding his exit from This Morning last May.
His wife is defending her husband and speaking out about the abuse he has endured over the past 18 months – but admits the new series could condemn him even more.
Stephanie says: “What people don’t realize is that you are being beaten, but there are other people who are being affected.
“No doubt, by doing this, you’re sticking your head above the parapet for the few horrible people out there.”
Meanwhile, daughter Molly talks about how “proud” she is of her “amazing” father.
On a deserted island. You can’t act. This is the real you. So you can’t hide anything. And I really hope that people see it the way we see it. Because he is simply amazing
Phillip’s daughter Molly
She says: “Strangely, everything that has happened recently has made us closer. We have seen him at his worst. But I was so proud of him. I’m so proud of him.
“As a daughter, to see the love that people have for him. But when it’s taken away, it’s heartbreaking.
“You can’t act on a desert island. This is the real you.
“So you can’t hide anything. And I really hope that people see it the way we see it. Because he’s just amazing.”
However, she fears that his lack of practical skills could be a problem.
She says: “I’m really nervous about DIY, because he can’t do it.” He can’t do that. He can do a lot, but he can’t do it alone.”
Molly also recalls the moment her dad went live on This Morning, with Holly by his side.
She says: “When my dad came out, it was very difficult for me. It was very difficult for the whole family, especially my mother, of course.
“Everything was turned upside down, but we talked and over time it got easier. My mom and my sister, we are all the same.
“We will always continue to support him, no matter what. I never thought it would go the way it did. But having my parents still best friends is just . . . I am the happiest person ever.”
Speaking about coming out, Phillip says: “For me, doing it later in life was causing me more anxiety than joy at the moment. Because I am fully aware of the damage it leaves. I still have the love of my family. He never wavers.”
When dad came out, it was very difficult for me. It was very difficult for the whole family, especially my mother, of course
Phillip’s daughter Molly
He says of his new show: “The family thinks it’s a great idea. And we talked about it a lot.
“None of them are particularly happy to be in the spotlight. Especially not in the limelight I’ve given them recently.”
Phillip was moved to tears on several occasions as he paid tribute to his family, especially dad Brian, who died of a heart attack in 2008.
With a breaking voice, she says: “He was so kind and so caring, so loving and so generous. My dad was my hero.
“A lot has changed since then. There was a lot I’m glad he didn’t see.”
He also reveals how he had the double agony of losing his job on This Morning shortly after his mother Pam fell ill.
But it also came with an unexpected moment of kindness from a stranger.
He recalls: “My mom got sick and I had to get into the car.
“The first time I walked out the door, I worked up the courage to get in the car and drive to Cornwall to look after my mum, who was critically ill.
“I walked into the hospital reception, and there was this big guy, with his big red face and big hands and tattoos and I walked into the reception trying to find where the intensive care unit was and this guy said, ‘Schofield? ‘ And I said, ‘Yes?’ And I thought, ‘Oh, s**n!’
“He said, ‘Can I hug you, friend?’ I said, ‘Actually, you know, you can?’ And he gave me a big, big hug.
“He said, ‘It’s all bullshit, mate, it’s all bullshit’.”
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He added: ‘I spent so much time thinking but if you do it in four walls nothing changes’ Credit: Channel 5
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Phillip pictured with wife Stephanie Lowe and daughters Molly and RubyCredit: Getty
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