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Privacy Notice Phillip Schofield appears to have taken a cheeky swipe at his former best friend and co-host Holly Willoughby, seemingly mimicking her infamous This Morning ‘OK’ intro after his departure from the show. Holly had asked viewers “Firstly, are you OK?” following Phillip’s exit from the popular daytime programme last year. However, on his new Channel 5 show, Phillip appeared to mock the moment. While enjoying a barbecue with his wife Stephanie and two daughters, Molly, 31, and Ruby, 28, he quipped: “If you’re okay, then we’re okay and I’m okay. Are you okay?” Holly, who was his best friend, but with whom he is no longer close, is not mentioned by name. However, this wasn’t the only time in the opening episode where he seemed to take a jab at his former employers and possibly other hosts like Holly, reports the Mirror.
Phillip Schofield will be making his TV return on Channel 5’s Cast Away
(Image: Channel 5 Broadcasting Limited / Burning Bright Productions)
Chewing on a piece of fruit, Phillip remarked: “It’s going through an angry bitter stage…like some television presenters haha.” The former host described his exit from ITV as the “biggest grenade going off in your life”. His decision came after revelations surfaced that he had been hiding an affair with a younger male staff member on This Morning for several years. He labelled it as “unwise but not illegal” and resigned in May 2023. He left stating “This Morning itself has become the story” before leaving ITV entirely a week later. Phillip has been open about the dark times he faced, crediting his daughters Ruby and Molly as his lifelines during periods of suicidal thoughts. Despite the turmoil following his affair, Phillip maintains a close bond with his wife Stephanie and continues to sport his wedding band as he embarks on a new adventure for his show Phillip Schofield: Cast Away on a remote island near Madagascar. Molly Schofield spoke about the family’s challenges, saying they’ve actually grown “closer” through it all. She expressed her pride in her father, noting how tough it was to see him lose the public’s adoration. “We’ve seen him at his lowest times, but I’ve been so proud of him, and as a daughter to see the love that people had for him that when it’s taken away it’s just heartbreaking.”
The show comes 16 months after Phil’s This Morning departure
(Image: PA)
She also shared her gratitude for her parents’ enduring friendship despite everything, adding, “I never thought it would have gone the way it has but to have my parents still best friends…Im the luckiest person ever” Phillip, who still wears his wedding ring on the show, reflected on family dynamics, stating, “Some families can adapt, some families can’t. Without them I wouldn’t be here. I still have the love of my family. Never wavered.” The programme will feature insights from Stephanie Schofield too, who remains amicable with Phillip. She highlighted the wider impact of their situation, saying, “What people don’t realise if that they batter you but then there are other people affected.” Stephanie also touched on the courage it takes to face the public again, mentioning, “There’s no question by doing this you’re popping your head back up above the parapet for the very few horrid people that there are out there.”
Holly Willoughby had asked viewers “Firstly, are you OK?” following Phillip’s exit from This Morning
(Image: ITV)
The opening episode sees Phillip reflecting on his new reality TV challenge, where he’s stranded on a deserted island. He quips, “I think there’d be an awful lot of people that hope I never come back.” He reminisced about his time on This Morning, calling it a “joy” and a “privilege”, acknowledging his fortunate streak in television spanning over forty years until his career came to a halt in 2023. Discussing the abrupt end to his TV tenure, the star shared, “When it came to a sudden very abrupt end, you know one minute you’re there and then the next minute you’re gone, you know what it feels like to be cancelled,” adding, “It’s like the biggest grenade going off in your life, and you know you let people down, you’ve let yourself down, and it was unwise and (an) unprofessional thing to do, I will be forever sorry, I screwed up, I made a mistake, and I hurt the people around me.” Phillip Schofield: Cast Away begins airs at 9pm on Monday on Channel 5, and will continue on Tuesday and Wednesday at the same time.Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnHolly WilloughbyPhillip SchofieldThis Morning
