Phillip Schofield and his family appeared to mock his former co-star and best friend Holly Willoughby’s famous ‘are you ok?’ clip as he made his return to TV.
The presenter, 62, will appear on Channel 5‘s Cast Away, set to air on Monday, in which he thanks Ant McPartlin, 48, and Dec Donnelly, 49, as well as Joanna Lumley, 78, – but fails to mention Holly, 43.
During the show, he will discuss his bitter parting of ways with ITV and This Morning, which he hosted for 21 years, while fending for himself on a remote island paradise, located off the coast of Madagascar.
Phillip was ousted from This Morning in May last year, after he admitted to lying about his relationship with a much younger male colleague.
Holly distanced herself from her former best friend and during a ‘highly strategised’ return to the This Morning sofa in June 2023, she told viewers she had been left ‘shaken, let down and worried.’
Phillip Schofield and his family appeared to mock his former co-star and best friend Holly Willoughby’s famous ‘are you ok?’ clip as he made his return to TV for Cast Away
The presenter, 62, will appear on Channel 5’s Cast Away, set to air on Monday, in which he thanks some co-stars – but fails to mention Holly, 43 (pictured in June 2023)
When she returned, she began by saying: ‘Hello, Firstly, are you okay? I hope so. It feels very strange sat here without Phil.’
Appearing to reference the now-famous speech on Cast Away, Phillip is seen having a BBQ with his family before heading off to the island.
In a clip obtained by The Sun, he gives out food to his wife Stephanie and their daughters Molly, 31, and Ruby, 28, and laughs: ‘If you’re ok, then we’re ok, and I’m ok…are you ok?’
No mention of Holly is made in the clip.
Holly’s said in the original statement that it: ‘Feels very strange indeed sitting here without Phil and I imagine that you might have been feeling a lot like I have.
‘Shaken, troubled, let down, worried for the wellbeing of people on all sides of what’s been going on and full of questions’.
‘All of us at This Morning gave our love and support to someone who was not telling the truth, who acted in a way that they themselves felt they had to resign from ITV and step down from a career that they loved. That is a lot to process’.
‘It’s equally hard to see the toll it’s taken on their own mental health. I think what unites us all now is a desire to heal for the health and wellbeing of everyone.’
Phillip was ousted from This Morning in May last year, after he admitted to lying about his relationship with a much younger male colleague (pictured in April 2023)
Holly distanced herself from her former best friend and during a ‘highly strategised’ return to the This Morning sofa in June 2023, she told viewers she had been left ‘shaken and let down’ (pictured in 2016)
Appearing to reference the now-famous speech on Cast Away, Phillip is seen having a BBQ with his family ad asking: ‘…are you ok?’
She added: ‘I hope that as we start this new chapter and get back to a place of warmth and magic that the show holds for all of us, we can find strength in each other.
‘And from the heart, can I just say thank you for all your kind messages and thank you for being here this morning. Myself, Josie, Dermot, Alison, Craig and every single person that works on this show will continue to work hard every day.’
Phillip does not mention his former co-star Holly in his new TV show Cast Away – but does make multiple swipes at his former colleagues.
Despite mentioning ITV co-stars Ant and Dec as well as Joanna Lumley, 78, Holly isn’t mentioned at all throughout the 45-minute episode.
In one outburst which will leave viewers wondering whether it is aimed at her, Schofield says: ‘When you throw someone under a bus, you’ve got to have a really bloody good reason to do it.
‘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.
Despite mentioning ITV Co-stars Ant, 48, and Dec, 49, as well as Joanna Lumley , 78, Miss Willoughby (pictured in 2023) isn’t mentioned at all throughout the 45-minute episode
‘You learn a lot about people. I don’t miss that.’
The disgraced presenter revealed this week he was taking part in his own survival show just 16 months on from leaving This Morning after admitting to having an ‘unwise but not illegal’ fling with a junior male colleague.
Schofield, 62, is said to have turned down a selection of big money TV offers before choosing to sign up for Cast Away – which he believes will allow him to share his story in an ‘unedited and honest’ way.
Ms Willoughby left This Morning in October 23 after presenting the show alongside Schofield for 14 years.
Sources at the time said she quit because the show ‘wasn’t the same’ after her co-host left but was finally ‘tipped over the edge’ by an alleged ‘kidnap and murder plot’, insiders have claimed.
Meanwhile, during the episode Schofield referred to ITV duo Ant and Dec as his ‘best mates’.
In May it was suggested Declan Donnelly had reportedly been trying to convince the former presenter to make a TV comeback, after the pair had a four-hour dinner together.
Joanna Lumley also featured, sending him a ‘good luck’ message.
In one outburst which will leave viewers wondering whether it is aimed at her, Schofield says: ‘When you throw someone under a bus, you’ve got to have a really bloody good reason to do it’
He is said to have turned down a selection of big money TV offers before choosing to sign up for Cast Away – which he believes will allow him to share his story
Ms Lumley, 78, appeared in a similar programme in 1994. ‘Listen, Phil these are the tips I’ve got,’ she said.
‘Keep your knives sharp, spend much of the day trying to find wood otherwise you won’t be able to eat anything.
‘When I was on the island I made a pair of shoes out of my bra, and I would love to think that you could do something a bit challenging, and bring it back so we could all look at it.
‘I shall be thinking of you all the time Phil, and actually I’m a little bit jealous, lots of love.’