Phillip Schofield’s savage three-word dig at Holly Willoughby moments into TV comeback revealed

After 16 months out of the public eye, Phillip Schofield’s rug pull of a TV comeback is packed with explosive digs at the ghosts of his TV past – including Holly Willoughby.

Cast Away airs on Monday, marking Schofe’s first time on camera since he quivered, clinging onto a vape seeking forgiveness for lying about his affair with a much younger colleague at This Morning in an uncomfortable interview with BBC’s Amol Rajan.

Throughout three episodes, the man who was the most popular (and highest paid) presenter on ITV is left stranded on a deserted island off the coast of Madagascar for 10 days with nothing but a lip balm and a fishing rod for company.

Essentially, he has nothing to lose – his TV career is dead in the water and the public’s opinion of him couldn’t be lower.

In the first episode alone, he leaves no stone unturned – discussing the relationship with his family who he betrayed, his ferocious anger towards ITV, the moment he wanted to take his own life and he makes it crystal clear where he stands with his former best friend and This Morning co-host Holly.

Here are the key moments which stand out from episode one:

Phil’s not-so-subtle dig at Holly

Back in May 2023, it was all eyes on Holly Willoughby. She’d taken a break from This Morning after dropping her TV best friend and now it was her time to make a public statement.

And there were three words in her little speech she’ll never live down: ‘Are you ok?’

In Cast Away, while sat around the dinner table with his family, Phil quite clearly mocks Holly, cackling with wife Stephanie Lowe and their two daughters Molly and Ruby: ‘If you’re ok then we’re ok and I’m ok. Are you ok?’

Holly seems to be ‘she-who-shall-not-be-named’ in episode one, but it’s abundantly clear when it comes to their friendship that things are definitely not ok.

The moment he got ‘so close’ to suicide

Unsurprisingly, Phil refers to the exposé of his affair as ‘the worst day of his life’. His world ended in front of millions and he was public enemy number one.

In Cast Away though, he explicitly reveals how unwell he’d become.

‘A year ago I got so so close,’ he says. ‘I had everything in place, everything was set up and everything was ready and it was Molly that was looking after me, Molly and Ruby both looking after me at the time. Molly said, “Do you know what this would do to us if you actually managed to pull this off? Can you actually imagine what it would do to me if you did this on my watch?”

‘And that was just enough to take a step back from the edge.’

Phillip turned down the chance to be hospitalised

Despite being on the brink of suicide, Phillip reveals he turned down an offer to be hospitalised because he feared it being made public.

Then his mother became critically ill and he felt he had to put her health before his own.

The presenter breaks down in tears remembering a stranger in the hospital where his mum was being treated, asking: “Can I give you a hug mate?”

Phillip’s daughter Molly breaks her silence

Phillip’s daughter Molly prominently features throughout the first episode.

There is a strong focus on Phil’s family, their unbreakable bond which has been tested more than most in the last few years.

Naturally, as his daughter and now publicist, she praises the ‘amazing man’ that is her father but also shares her experiences of having a dad come out as gay on national television and then be at the centre of a public scandal.

Despite it all though she says she feels like ‘the luckiest person ever’.

She explains: ‘When my dad came out it was very hard for me. It was very hard for the entire family – mainly my mum of course, everything was turned upside down. But we talked through it and over time it’s got easier.’

Phil’s desperately sad experience of coming out

Coming out as gay is for many LGBTQ+ people a moment of celebration, the release of the shackles they’ve been held back by their whole lives and a fresh beginning.

Phillip’s coming out though was unlike no other. He came out on television, on his own show during an episode he wasn’t actually hosting, and wept into the arms of his co-host Holly who assured him he was still loved.

There has been an intensified interest in Phil’s love life ever since, and the only relationship he’s had that’s been made public is the one which ended his career – even if it didn’t end his marriage.

‘I’m very proud of what I did and I know that coming out for so many people is liberating and it’s freedom on a plate. Absolutely, be yourself, live your life to the absolute full. That’s the saying, “just live your best life”. But for me, doing it later in life at the moment it’s just given me more anguish than joy because I’m fully aware of the damage it leaves.’

Don’t expect to see Phil on I’m A Celebrity

The main takeaway from Cast Away is that Phil is very bitter towards his former employer ITV.

Responding to rumours he’s heading to the ‘other jungle programme after being one of the favourites among bookmakers, he let’s rip at ITV.

‘There are some channels you won’t work for, there are some people you just won’t work for,’ he says.