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Privacy Notice Former This Morning host Phillip Schofield is back on TV for the first time since his shock departure from the daytime show last year, and it comes as no surprise that he is dropping bombshells about recent events in his new series Cast Away. The three episode reality series has Phillip, 62, stranded on an island off the coast of Madagascar for 10 days with just a tent and a camera for company, and he admits he has used the adventure as a way to talk about his experiences. “It appealed to me on so many levels. I’ve recently had a lot of time to think about my life, what went right and what went wrong, but I’ve always had the safe arms of friends and family wrapped around me,” he said. “This time it’s just me, no phone, no comforts, no crew and only lip balm as a luxury.” Guy Davies, Channel 5’s commissioning editor added: “This isn’t just a survival challenge, it’s a chance for Phillip to look back over the last explosive 18 months of his life, and explore what happened. The audience will learn how he feels now about television and the future, as well as the past. And it will be Phillip Schofield as we have never seen him before – unguarded, emotional and brutally honest…” In promoting the series, Phillip has already let slip some honest and unguarded thoughts, and there are sure to be more as Cast Away arrives on our screens on Monday 30 September. In the meantime, here are his biggest bombshells so far:
Phillip has returned to TV in the Channel 5 series Cast Away
(Image: Copyright remains with handout provider)
1. He ‘mocks’ Holly Willoughby Phillip stepped down from This Morning in May 2023 following rumours of a feud between him and Holly. 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.
Phillip with former This Morning co-presenter Holly Willoughby
(Image: ITV)
Following his departure, Holly spoke to the This Morning cameras and asked viewers “Firstly, are you okay?” Phillip appears to mock her question in Cast Away. While enjoying a barbecue with his wife Stephanie and two daughters, Molly, 31, and Ruby, 28, he quips: “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. 2. He ‘was fired’ rather than quitting Back in May 2023, Phillip released a statement resigning from This Morning that said: “I have always been proud to cover fascinating stories on This Morning. But recently, This Morning itself has become the story. Throughout my career in TV – including the very difficult last few days – I have always done my best to be honourable and kind. I understand that ITV has decided the current situation can’t go on, and I want to do what I can to protect the show that I love. So I have agreed to step down from This Morning with immediate effect, in the hope that the show can move forward to a bright future.”
Phillip with daughter Molly in 2022
(Image: PA Archive/PA Images)
In his new show he hints he was shown the door from the This Morning set rather than choosing to leave after 20 years, saying: “It’s inconceivable that I would quit [any show that he is on].” He bluntly declared in a nine word statement, “I don’t quit. I’m fired. But I never quit. ” 3. He had suicidal thoughts On the desert island series the former ITV presenter reflects on the “dark” period in his life and credits his daughters for helping him “take a step back from the edge”. Holding back tears, he shares: “In the last 18 months it got as dark as it is possible to get.” “A year ago I got so so close. I had everything in place, everything was set up and everything was ready. It was Molly that was looking after me, Molly and Ruby (daughters) both looking after me at the time, and Molly said ‘do you imagine what this would do to us if you actually managed to pull this off.’
Phillip shared some bombshells about his time at ITV while he was filming Cast Away
(Image: No credit)
She went on to say: ‘Can you imagine what would happen and can you imagine what it would do to me if you did this on my watch?’ And that was enough just to take a step back from the edge. And I could have been hospitalised, I had the option to be hospitalised but I just thought that is going to get out so I raced to the family home.” 4. He won’t be returning to presenting In the second episode of Cast Away, Phillip reveals that he had envisioned dying on live television at 93, but now he doesn’t think he wants to continue in this line of work as he has been deeply hurt by being a presenter and by “some of the people on that sort of telly”. He said he initially loved being at Television Centre, where ITV’s This Morning was filmed and added: “When what happened to me happened to me, it screwed up my favourite building in the world, and it pretty well blew away all those happy memories, and suddenly the place became hostile to me, and that was heartbreaking. And the people who did it to me know, they know how important that building was to me.”
The former presenter says there are parts of TV life he “won’t miss”
(Image: ITV)
He has also quashed any rumours he may do this year’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here due to his feelings towards ITV. “Although my best mates host it ( Ant and Dec ), there are some channels you just won’t work for. There are some people you won’t work for.” 5. He believes ITV colleagues ‘betrayed’ him Phillip claims his ITV colleagues ‘threw him under the bus’ when he left ITV, sacrificing his job to save This Morning. “When you throw someone under a bus, you’ve got to have a really bloody good reason to do it,” he said. “I got into telly because I love the nuts and bolts of telly, I never wanted to be famous. I’m not fussed about that. I miss parts of it. I miss most of it, I’m honest. “But there are bits that I really, really, really don’t miss.” One thing he definitely doesn’t miss are the fair-weather friends who are no longer around. “People can be so fake with you when it’s all going well, and suddenly utter, utter betrayal”. If you’ve been affected by any of the issues in this story you can contact Samaritans in the UK and Ireland on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie.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 SchofieldAnt and DecThis Morning
