Phillip Schofield Drops Cheeky Dig at Holly Willoughby in New Channel 5 Doc
Phillip Schofield’s latest TV show Cast Away has viewers buzzing over a sly swipe at his former This Morning co-host Holly Willoughby. The 62-year-old star spends 10 days stranded on a remote Madagascan island, using the documentary to air his side of the scandal that forced him off ITV screens.
Right at the start, Schofield dropped a phrase that fans reckon was a pointed nod to Holly. He asked, “Are you ok?” — eerily echoing Holly’s infamous June 2023 comeback line: “Right, deep breath. Firstly, are you OK? I hope so.” That moment had sparked a torrent of criticism and viral jokes back then.
One viewer exclaimed, “THAT HOLLY DIG!!!” while another added, “Oooh was that a cheeky dig at Holly Willoughby there, Phillip?”
Backlash and Support for Schofield’s Return
Phillip’s Channel 5 reality-style doc has split opinion. Some fans slammed his return as “disgraceful,” questioning the timing and his choice to go reality TV. Yet others see it as a bold move to win back public trust.
Vanessa Feltz, friend and colleague, weighed in: “Any reality TV show anyone does is a risk… you could come out brilliantly, and everyone could fall in love with you and you could impress them to the max.” She added, “All the luck in the world” to Schofield.
Actress Joanna Lumley also threw her support behind him, sending “love” as he tackled his journey of redemption on screen.
From ITV Scandal to Solo Survival Show
Since admitting to lying about a consensual relationship with a younger colleague, Schofield quit This Morning in 2023. He’s blamed his brother for his sudden departure and stayed tight-lipped about the fallout.
Now, with Cast Away, he aims to tell his side and win back sympathy after one of British TV’s biggest scandals.
Cast Away aired on Monday, September 30 at 9 p.m. on Channel 5, with episodes following Tuesday and Wednesday. Schofield’s remote island adventure is his bid to clear the air and face the music head-on.
