Fans call Phillip Schofield ‘cringe’ as he skinny dips and burns tent in final episode of Cast Away

Phillip Schofield’s short-lived return to television has drawn to an end as the final episode in his three-part series Cast Away dropped tonight – and many fans felt it was the most chaotic installment yet.

Once a beloved figure on British daytime television, Schofield has found himself the center of a cringe-worthy spectacle in the final episode of his new show.

Schofield, 62, resigned from This Morning in 2023 following weeks of speculation surrounding his fractured friendship with Holly Willoughby. Six days later he left ITV completely with immediate effect after admitting to an affair with a much younger This Morning colleague.

The former presenter’s latest venture into survival TV was meant as a redemption arc, but instead it seemingly left many viewers uncomfortable.

One of the latest episode’s key moments – a tent fire caused by Schofield’s attempt to fend off a supposed ‘big cat’ – adding fuel to an already controversial comeback.

In the bizarre third and final episode, which aired Wednesday, Schofield accidentally set his tent ablaze while camping alone on an island in Madagascar.

In one of the episode’s most talked-about moments, Schofield, convinced he had seen paw prints and heard a ‘big cat’ prowling near his camp, attempted to scare it off by lighting a campfire. His tent caught fire, leaving him without shelter for the night.

‘As I was sleeping, disaster struck,’ Schofield narrated in the aftermath. ‘My star fire swept out of control and set my camp ablaze.’ Speaking to the camera, he added, ‘Thank God I heard it.’

Schofield then decided to strip down and go skinny dipping, to the shock of viewers.

Fans were less than impressed, with many taking to social media to express their skepticism.

@seanmmontague wrote on X: ‘I actually cannot take this seriously… it’s just bad… bad, bad.’

Others labeled the show ‘contrived’ and ‘cringe,’ with @DannyDenay bluntly commenting, ‘What a f***ing moron, this is cringe af.’

One unimpressed commenter, @TraylorHolmes, quipped: ‘Did any of us need to see him naked?? Narcissist.’

One viewer noted on social media that the entire show felt painfully self-aware, accusing Schofield of knowing ‘exactly what he is doing during this show.’

Another pointed out that his behavior appeared to be less about genuine survival and more about reclaiming the spotlight in a calculated way.

Cast Away was intended as a bold move for Schofield, who has kept a relatively low profile since leaving This Morning in May.

During Cast Away, Schofield reflected on how many of his famous friends abandoned him after the affair became public. ‘People who I thought were my friends just went. And it’s like, ‘What the hell,’” he said.

He also made a veiled reference to the controversy, adding, ‘I think another presenter or two might have done the same thing. Difference is, heterosexual.’

But viewers weren’t buying it for the most part.

As one viewer, @MAMentoring, bluntly put it, “Sooo Phillip Schofield on Cast Away after everything that’s happened, believed it was a great idea to strip off and run into the surf to go skinny dipping… in the same episode he states ‘I’m not stupid.’”

But not all viewers were opposed to Schofield’s antics. Some fans praised the show for its entertainment value, with one user (@justjamess87) writing: ‘Absolutely loving the sarcasm on Phillip Schofield Cast Away. Once again great TV… let’s hope you get back on tele soon.’

Nevertheless, instead of a heroic return, the final episode left many wondering if Schofield’s time in the limelight may be coming to an end, with viewers calling his actions less survivalist and more self-serving.