Is Phillip Schofield returning to TV, specifically ITV? If you also have this question in your mind, then we may have an explanation for you. After Schofield confessed to having an affair with a younger ITV crew member last year - which could also be made into a series - his life changed drastically. The daytime star had to quit This Morning after two decades, his talent management agency YMU dumped him immediately and he had to resort to living a life in the shadows.
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Now, for a greater part of the last year, Schofield has remained away from the spotlight. According to MailOnline, his days were made of dog walks, evenings in front of the TV with his daughters Molly and Ruby and visits to Cornwall to see his elderly mother. The former star presenter has has also been open about undergoing therapy and a visit to a local pub is now seen as a ‘treat’ for him.
Is Phillip Schofield returning to our TV screens?
However, this might change soon as his recent public and social media activities hint he may be more than ready to return to TV. Earlier this year, a celebrity psychic also predicted that Schofield may return to TV soon. Are the stars aligning?
The former This Morning's sudden return to his social media a year after his affair scandal took his fandom by surprise.
In the month of May 2024, he posted a picture of his dog Alfie on Instagram. In the picture, Schofield is understood to be lying down in bed as he captured his dog from behind who appears to be fully engrossed in watching Formula One, confirms Express. He captioned the post:
Thankfully, Alfie is a big @f1 fan
Days later, he again shared a photo of his dog with his 2.8 million followers on Instagram. This time, the adorable brown pooch was lying on a sofa while looking up into the camera with puppy dog eyes. Phillip captioned the photo and wrote:
Alfie …. Where did you put my socks?!
The comment section of both the ‘comeback’ posts has been limited to only his followers. The recent post got engagement from many people including his former This Morning colleague Dr Zoe Williams, reports Hello! Magazine. Zoe commented on the post:
[Dog and sock] = good luck.
Celebrity hairdresser Lino Carbosiero added to the comment section and exclaimed:
Sooooo cute Phil.
The post received over 50,000 likes. While that’s it for his social media activity, his offline activity included being spotted out with I’m A Celeb host Declan Donnelly and his partner Ali Astell. Reportedly, the three enjoyed a four-hour dinner. Over the past year, Schofield’s public snaps were ‘sparse and seemed authentically candid.’ However, celebrity PR specialist Kayley Cornelius noted that his recent ‘paparazzi shots appear more calculated.’
Cornelius analysed that the shots may not be staged but it suggests that Scofield’s PR team is using the famous ‘sprinkle, sprinkle method.’ By increasing Schofield’s public presence and interactions with celebrity friends, they are trying to draw press attention. Cornelius told Express:
In PR, we call this the ‘sprinkle sprinkle’ method, she continued. This is when you subtly reintroduce a concept, person, or product to an audience to gauge their reaction, and is typically used as a form of risk assessment before finalising projects.
As such, his dinner with Dec could also be indicative of a potential stint on I’m A Celeb this year. Cornelius explained that with whatever has happened in the past with Schofield a ‘jump straight back into a presenting role’ is not a possibility for him. Doing ITV’s I’m A Celeb would be a ‘natural fit,’ a familiar territory and just the kind of supportive environment he needs - thanks to his long-standing relationship with ITV.
Is an ITV return for Phillip Schofield possible?
While it may be a good PR move, sources at ITV and those close to Phillip Schofield suggest that a return to ITV may be a far cry. Even after a year of Schofield's epic fall from grace, the former presenter is understood to be ‘furious’ with the channel and sees himself as the ‘victim’ of the entire saga. Rumour has it, he was also going to take legal action against the broadcaster but his lawyer denied the allegations.
A source revealed:
Phillip firmly believes that he has been mistreated by ITV. He thinks he was thrown under the bus. From some of what he says, he feels he is the victim.
Schofield’s conviction that he was wronged by ITV paired with the sentiments of staff members at the network may be a hurdle for his return to TV. This comes as a senior member of the network told MailOnline:
We don't want him, why would we want him back? The place is much nicer without him.
Additionally, it has been reported neither BBC nor any other network is willing to 'touch him' as a repercussions of his scandal.
Phillip Schofield’s company makes £400k despite not working for a year
Schofield’s return to TV may be dicey, but his finances are far from it. According to The Sun’s recent report, Schofield’s company managed to gain a £400k boost despite him not working for a year. The news comes as his wife Stephanie signed off the accounts of their company Fistral Productions earlier this month stating there was a top-up of £400,000 between November 2022 and November 2023.
The company’s total now sits at £1,230,300. What’s more? Schofield is expected to make £964,136 more from ‘debtors on the book.’ He also owns Fistral Properties which is reported to own £829,000 worth of property.
Read More
⋙ Fern Britton talks about Phillip Schofield on Celebrity Big Brother
⋙ Phillip Schofield signed a non-disclosure agreement with his ex-lover almost a year later
⋙ Phillip Schofield: Lorraine Kelly explains how the presenter is doing months after scandalous affair
Sources Used
Daily Mail: The truth about those Phillip Schofield comeback rumours: KATIE HIND reveals the TV prospects for axed star... whose sources say is still 'furious' one year on - believing he was 'thrown under the bus'
The Express: Phillip Schofield breaks social media silence after year-long hiatus amid comeback rumours
Hello! Magazine: Phillip Schofield posts new photo as former This Morning co-star shares support
The Express: Phillip Schofield 'tipped' for TV return on ITV's I'm A Celebrity by expert
The Sun: Phillip Schofield’s company gets huge £400k boost as he cashes in – despite not working for a year
