Phillip Schofield is set to return to television after a 16-month hiatus following his departure from ITV’s This Morning. According to reports, the former TV presenter has filmed a Channel 5 special titled Cast Away, which will document Schofield’s experience being “marooned on an uninhabited tropical island off the coast of Madagascar for 10 days.
Schofield, 62, teased the upcoming show on his Instagram story, writing, “Watch this space…9am.” The Cast Away special is expected to see Schofield reflect on the turbulent events of the past two years, during which he stepped down from his long-standing role at ITV.
In May 2023, Schofield resigned from ITV after admitting to an “unwise but not illegal” affair with a younger male colleague. At the time, Schofield acknowledged the immense personal toll the scandal had taken, admitting, “I have lost everything,” and describing the fallout as having a “catastrophic effect” on his mental health.
In December 2023, a review by Jane Mulcahy KC, commissioned by ITV’s CEO Dame Carolyn McCall, found that ITV had made “considerable efforts” to investigate the alleged relationship between Schofield and a This Morning runner in 2019. However, the review concluded that ITV was “unable to uncover the relevant evidence” until Schofield’s own admission in May 2023.
Schofield’s former co-host Holly Willoughby departed This Morning five months after his exit, following 14 years alongside Schofield on the ITV sofa. Willoughby has since continued her role on ITV’s Dancing On Ice, with Stephen Mulhern stepping in to replace Schofield as co-host.
Over the weekend, Channel 5 teased the new programme, posting a short clip on social media showing a mystery figure, believed to be Schofield, walking across a remote beach. The caption described the show’s premise: “A celebrity marooned on an uninhabited tropical island off the coast of Madagascar for 10 days is challenged with total isolation, the forces of nature, and the battle within their own mind.”
While Schofield’s return to TV has sparked anticipation among some fans, it has also been met with backlash, with critics accusing Channel 5 of offering him a “redemption” platform following the affair scandal.
Channel 5 has yet to comment publicly on Schofield’s involvement in the special. The news has reignited public discussion surrounding Schofield’s departure from ITV and the fallout that followed his revelations.
