Former Kiwi TV host Phillip Schofield set to make comeback after This Morning scandal

Phillip Schofield is making his TV comeback, 16 months after being axed from This Morning. Photo / BBC

Phillip Schofield is making his TV comeback 16 months after being axed from British daytime chat show This Morning.

The former Kiwi TV host, 62, will be battling for survival in the television special Cast Away, which sees him stranded on an island for 10 days.

The former This Morning presenter will open his heart about the last two years as he spends his time on an island off Madagascar.

“Over the past few months Phil has had quite a few offers for various things – but has steadfastly turned them all down,” a source told The Sun.

“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.

“After 42 years on telly, Phillip has learnt from some great crews and teams on how to film and tell a story.

“With 10 days to himself, no camera crews or production around, he shot some unbelievably raw footage – some of it makes for tough, emotional viewing,” the source added. “But he wanted a chance to share his story, unedited and honest, and let viewers see another side to him.

“Whilst this is a massive coup for Channel 5 [the British public broadcast television channel], and huge for Phillip, he’s in no rush to come back to TV fulltime yet; he remains very bruised, and is just taking some time now to weigh things up before he makes any major decisions.”

Schofield is following in the footsteps of British actress Joanna Lumley and British-American actress and comedian Ruby Wax on the programme, which airs on Monday night (UKT).

On its social media pages, Channel 5 posted a short clip of Schofield walking across a remote beach with the words: “A celebrity marooned on an uninhabited tropical island for 10 days is challenged with total isolation, the forces of nature and the battle within his own mind.”

His sacking followed a brief affair with a younger member of staff, which led to an external review examining This Morning’s workplace culture.

In December, an external review by Jane Mulcahy KC, instructed by ITV boss Dame Carolyn McCall, found the British television network made “considerable efforts” to find out the truth about an alleged relationship between Schofield and a runner on This Morning in 2019 but was “unable to uncover the relevant evidence” until the presenter’s own admission in late May 2023.

At the time, the former TV star said he had “lost everything” after admitting to the affair, and that the fallout had had a “catastrophic effect” on his mind.

Last June, the presenter said he regretted what had happened.

“I have massive guilt, and regret,” Schofield said. I’ve made a mistake, I’ve had an affair at work.”

This Morning co-host Holly Willoughby left the show almost five months later after 14 years on the sofa alongside Schofield.

Schofield grew up and began his television career in New Zealand before moving back to the UK in 1985, where he became the first in-vision continuity presenter for Children’s BBC on weekdays.

In New Zealand, Schofield’s first TV job was presenting the youth music programme Shazam! in 1982. He also spent two years working for Radio Hauraki.

- Additional reporting by NZ Herald.