Phillip Schofield is making a comeback with new TV show Cast Away, sparking a huge reaction.
Filming in secret, the 62-year-old presenter was totally alone when he headed to a secluded island off the coast of Madagascar. It marked his first TV job since the former ITV star resigned from This Morning in May 2023 when his affair with a younger male colleague came to light.
Schofield has called this his “story of survival”. He said: “Now you know how I spent my Summer! Alone for 10 days, no food, no water, no crew. My story of survival, both on a desert island and off it.”
The TV star added: “This is most definitely a first for me and the only thing I felt compelled to do. 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.
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“This time it’s just me, no ‘phone, no comforts, no crew and only lip balm as a luxury. I’m looking forward to exploring the island, trying to tie knots to secure my shelter and foraging and fending for myself in the wild… with no help.
“Maybe I’ll be Robinson Crusoe, or maybe I’ll just be Tom Hank’s Wilson and quietly drift off into the wild blue yonder!!”
As things get tough, it’s no surprise there will be tears. In a confessional piece to camera that teases the show, he said: “I know what I did was unwise but is it enough to absolutely destroy someone.”
Here’s everything we know about Schofield’s return to TV with Cast Away.
Phillip Schofield battles disaster storm
In a teaser for Cast Away, Schofield faced a “disaster” in the middle of the night while he was trying to sleep. The presenter captured the terrifying moment the storm struck his camp on camera but has no one to help him so must weather it alone.
“Bloody hell,” he said in a piece to camera. Schofield shared his candid response on camera while in the middle of the storm. “Disaster has struck. Howling wind blowing through everything,” he informed the audience.
The former ITV star was surprised to see the storm had torn down some of his tent where he was sleeping. He said: “It’s taken out all the front. This is about to tear itself to pieces. And there is still every possibility that it will. Wasn’t expecting that.”
When can you watch Cast Away?
Schofield’s return to TV will play out on our screens on Channel 5 from Monday 30 September at 9pm. It is a three-part mini-series, finishing on Wednesday 2 October.
In the drone footage, Schofield could be seen walking across the sandy shores barefoot. It teased: “Coming Soon to Channel 5… A celebrity marooned on an uninhabited tropical island off the coast of Madagascar for 10 days is challenged with total isolation, the forces of nature, and the battle within their own mind.”
Why has Phillip Schofield filmed Cast Away?
Cast Away has given Schofield the “one chance” to tell his side of the story in the way he wants to. The Channel 5 star was marooned on the tropical island for 10 days. Schofield is said to have filmed the “raw” footage himself which at times is believed to be “emotional” to watch.
The Sun reported that there was a quick turnaround to keep the news under wraps. It has been claimed that Schofield had turned down many big money deals before he decided to make his TV comeback with Channel 5.
Channel 5 Commissioning Editor, Guy Davies, says: “This isn’t just a survival challenge, it’s 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….”
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Executive Producer and MD at Burning Bright Productions, Clive Tulloh, added: “We are very excited about this powerful and emotional series. It is much watch tv. It gives a whole new meaning to survival.”
Phillip Schofield’s comeback
Schofield has been plotting a comeback for some time though as he has been testing the water with Instagram posts and a recent public appearance. There had even been talk of Schofield signing up to I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here 2024 after he was pictured laughing with Declan Donnelly. His return to Instagram started out with pictures of his dog Alfie in May this year.
One notable sign of Schofield’s return to the public eye was when the former This Morning presenter was seen at the British Grand Prix arriving by helicopter as he enjoyed a day out with his family. His daughter Molly has partly been behind his comeback. She quit her role at talent agency YMU to then represent her dad.
Entertainment PR expert Lynn Carratt, from Press Box, previously Yahoo: “Whatever path he chooses, he knows it will be a make-or-break situation for his future career.” She added: “Phillip Schofield seems to believe that now is the time for him to seek redemption from the British public and win back their favour. With over 40 years of experience in TV, it’s his expertise, it’s all he’s ever done and I can imagine he feels at a loss.”
Why did Phillip Schofield leave This Morning?
Schofield stepped down from his high-profile job on This Morning after 21 years in May last year. By his admission, the TV star had an “unwise but not illegal” affair with a younger male colleague at ITV. At the time, it was rumoured he had a fall out with his This Morning co-star Holly Willoughby who now too has left This Morning.
Initially, Schofield thought his TV career was over following the scandal. “I have to talk about television in the past tense, which breaks my heart,” he told The BBC in June last year. “I have lost everything.”
“What am I going to do with my days?” He continued. “I see nothing ahead of me but blackness, and sadness, and regret, and remorse, and guilt. I did something very wrong, and then I lied about it consistently.”
Cast Away will air at 9pm, Monday, 30 September, on Channel 5.