PHILLIP Schofield is returning to TV – 16 months after he was axed from This Morning.
The 62-year-old TV presenter secretly filmed a Channel 5 special, Cast Away, which saw him lying on a tropical island for 10 days.
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Phillip lands his first TV job since being axed from This Morning Credit: Channel 5
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Phillip will be seen fending for himself on an island off Madagascar, filming himself as he struggles to survive
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The former star of This Morning will speak emotionally about his past two years from hell
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Phil previously co-hosted This Morning with ex-girlfriend HollyCredit: Shutterstock
Phillip will be seen fending for himself on an island off Madagascar, filming himself as he struggles to survive – and emotionally discussing his last two years from hell.
Last night a source said: “Over the past few months, Phil has had quite a few offers for various things – but he has consistently turned them down.
“This type of challenge has always appealed to him, and after consulting friends and family, he decided to go for it. Everything was top secret and changed incredibly quickly to keep the news quiet.
“After 42 years in television, Phillip has learned from some great crews and teams how to film and tell a story.
More about Phillip Schofield
“With 10 days to himself, no cinematographer or production, he captured some incredibly raw footage – some of it makes for difficult, emotional viewing.
“But he wanted a chance to share his story, unedited and honest, and allow viewers to see a different side of him.
“While this is a huge blow for Channel 5 and a huge blow for Phillip, he’s in no rush to get back into TV full-time just yet; he’s still very depressed and needs some time to weigh things up before making any big decisions.”
Joanna Lumley and Ruby Wax previously traveled to a remote island near Madagascar to film their survival journeys.
Joanna famously made shoes out of her bra in the BBC’s Girl Friday in 1994, while last year Ruby filmed a version for Channel 5. Phillip was given a hand-held camera, an isolated sound pack and body-worn cameras for his one-person documentary.
The three-part series – which Chanel 5 teased over the weekend, showing just a snippet of the star’s head and his tanned legs – airs on Monday night.
Phillip Schofield appears to be on the comeback trail as he was seen sharing a laugh with Declan Donnelly
On its social media pages, Channel 5 posted a short clip of Phillip walking on a remote beach with the words: “Married on an uninhabited tropical island for 10 days, a celebrity is faced with complete isolation, the forces of nature and a battle within her own mind.”
Fans have been speculating about who they think it is with names like Keir Starmer, Jermaine Jenas, Ben Fogle, Joe Swash and James Corden.
“Watch this space”
It will be the first time the presenter – who last night teased a “watch this space” story to his three million Instagram fans – has been seen on mainstream television since being sacked from ITV’s This Morning.
Holly Willoughby later left the show, leaving the daytime show facing its biggest crisis in 35 years.
His sacking followed a brief affair with a junior member of staff he belonged to, prompting an external audit of the programme’s culture, which eventually cleared ITV of any wrongdoing.
With 10 days to himself, without a cameraman or production, he captured incredibly raw footage
Source
The backlash saw Phillip lose all his TV work, including Dancing on Ice, and fall out with former best friend Holly, who didn’t stand by him after the scandal broke.
He also got off all social media – but rejoined 18 weeks ago with a photo of his pooch, Alfie.
In an interview with The Sun last June, Phillip said he would “die of grief” over his affair, but vehemently denied there had been any abuse of power.
He added: “I am deeply sorry. There are accusations of all sorts. It never looked like that (abuse of power) because we became friends.
“Of course I understand there will be a mass judgment, but bearing in mind, I’ve never applied it anywhere else.
“I have enormous guilt and regret. I made a mistake, I had an affair at work.”
He received a lot of support after the interview, and some believe he was treated too harshly.
In May, the father-of-two was filmed enjoying a night out with Declan Donnelly – prompting speculation he is set for a TV comeback.
Phil’s TV comeback
From Clemmie Moodie
SOME thought it would never happen. He thought it would never happen
But, after a 16-month exile, Phil Schofield is back where he belongs – on TV.
A lot happened in that time, none of which involved Phil. He went from being a household name to a recluse.
I was the first person to interview him after he axed him from This Morning, and he was a shell of a man. Pale, thin and trembling, he spoke, pausing, in a whisper.
Popping vape after vape, he thought his once glittering career was over. Many supported him, but he could not face being exposed to additional scrutiny.
He said “no” to every opportunity that came his way since then.
But the opportunity to resettle on a remote island proved too great. This is an opportunity for him to speak his mind — raw, unfiltered and honest. Who knows what will emerge? (Only Phil, a few Madagascar crabs and a Channel 5 editor will know).
It’s a risk, anything with TV cameras generally is, but it’s worth taking.
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It will be the first time the presenter has been seen on mainstream television since being sacked from ITV’s This Morning
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He also lost his job presenting Dancing on Ice with HollyCredit: Shutterstock
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