Phillip Schofield has announced his TV comeback as he’s set for a “raw” return to our screens.
The star, 62, left ITV and This Morning last year after admitting to having an “unwise but not illegal” affair with a younger colleague.
He’s been away from screens since. But now, Phil will return for a Channel 5 show called Cast Away.
Phillip Schofield comeback
In an announcement on Instagram on Wednesday morning, Phil shared a photo of himself looking dishevelled whilst on a beach.
He wrote: “Now you know how I spent my summer! Alone for 10 days, no food, no water, no crew. My story of survival, both on a desert island and off it.
“Cast Away starts Monday on @channel5_tv & My5 at 9pm.”
What Phil has said
Meanwhile, in a statement, Phil said: “This is most definitely a first for me and the only thing I felt compelled to do. It appealed to me on so many levels.
“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!!”
Phillip Schofield new show
Channel 5 Commissioning Editor, Guy Davies, added: “This isn’t just a survival challenge, it’s chance for Phillip to look back over the last explosive 18 months of his life, and explore what happened. The audience will learn how he feels now about television and the future, as well as the past. And it will be Phillip Schofield as we have never seen him before – unguarded, emotional and brutally honest…”
In addition, Executive Producer and MD at Burning Bright Productions, Clive Tulloh, said: “We are very excited about this powerful and emotional series. It is much watch TV. It gives a whole new meaning to survival.”
The three-part series will air across three nights from Monday, September 30. It will follow Phil as he’s cast away for 10 days and nine nights on a remote, unpopulated island off the coast of Madagascar.
Cast Away on Channel 5
Meanwhile, Channel 5 described it as an “authentic and intense physical and mental challenge”. He will only have a handful of cameras to document his experience.
The broadcaster also said Phil will “confront the challenges of total isolation” and have time to “battle within his own mind as he explores his own controversial story”.
The production team will be stationed 30 minutes offshore, only to intervene in the event of an extreme emergency.
Meanwhile, a source has told The Sun: “He shot some unbelievably raw footage – some of it makes for tough, emotional viewing.”
The insider added that Phil “wanted a chance to share his story, unedited and honest, and let viewers see another side to him”.
They also said this is a “massive coup” for Channel 5 and “huge” for Phil.
Read more: Phillip Schofield looks happier than ever in new photo as he takes on hobby after ITV axe
However, the source claimed that Phil is in “no rush to come back to TV full-time yet” as he “remains very bruised”.
Phillip Schofield: Cast Away will air Monday September 30 at 9pm on Channel 5.
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