Phillip Schofield is set to make a TV comeback in a three-part series for Channel 5 titled Cast Away. This marks his first on-screen appearance in over a year, where the former This Morning host will share his personal journey as part of an ultimate survival experience.
The series will document Schofield’s 10-day stint on a remote, uninhabited island off the coast of Madagascar. He will be left alone with only a few cameras to capture his experience.
In anticipation of the series, he revealed: “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. 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.”
This comes as his first TV outing following the revelation of his “unwise but not illegal” affair with a younger colleague. Here’s everything you need to know about his life away from the limelight.
Phillip is currently 62 years old, having celebrated his last birthday on April 1. Born in Oldham in 1962, he was brought up in Newquay.
Phillip Schofield, a familiar face on British TV, recently celebrated his birthday away from the limelight, making rare appearances in public occasionally accompanied by his mother, his daughter Molly, and his close pal Vanessa Feltz.
Schofield’s father Brian notably worked for a pioneering surfboard company in the UK but died in 2008; meanwhile, his mother Pam enjoys retirement. Philip also has a younger brother, Timothy Schofield.
Despite being separated from his wife Stephanie Lowe, Phillip Schofield remains legally married as of June 2023 and is still wearing his wedding ring.
The couple, parents to daughters Molly and Ruby, have seen Phillip move out of their family abode into a £2 million property situated in Chiswick, West London.
Discussing his situation with Chris Evans on the “How To Wow” podcast in October 2020, Schofield reflected, “That is a very good question, Chris. I don’t know. Because I am still married to Steph.”
He continued expressing his inner turmoil: “It is not in my nature to hurt people and so I have to reconcile myself with the fact that I have done that.”
Addressing the topic of divorce, Schofield revealed, “We have not discussed that at all.”
On Instagram, where he commands a following of over two million, Schofield has increasingly let fans glimpse into his private life.
Among his recent posts, there was one showing him playing tennis and another captured during a stroll through a field of sunflowers, which he affectionately dubbed his “new happy place”.
Cast Away airs on Channel 5 tonight at 9pm