Phillip Schofield’s life has gone from extreme highs to extreme lows. Just three years ago, the former face of ITV found himself stepping down from all his jobs with the network.
Over the course of his career at ITV, Schofield, 64, was the face of This Morning, Dancing On Ice and The Cube, often appearing alongside Holly Willoughby, whom he once counted as his rock. But his world came crashing down in May 2023 when he stepped back from the network.
His exit came after a fallout with Holly Willoughby, who was reportedly concerned her pal wasn’t being honest about a relationship. Phillip stepped back after admitting to having an affair with a runner on the show, more than three decades his junior.
4View 4 ImagesHolly and Phil were once the best of friends(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images for BGC)
4View 4 ImagesHis life now looks very different(Image: Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)
His relationship with the man in question was consensual. Phillip later said the relationship was “unwise, but not illegal,” and stressed that it had ended. He admitted that he had “lied” to ITV, as well as his colleagues and agent, who had dropped him after 35 years.
Now, in a new interview, Phillip says his life is completely drama-free. Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said that he is “content and happy” with life away from telly screens. He said: “Life is really calm and drama-free now. I decided a while ago that I just wanted a quiet life with family, friends I can trust and my dog.
“Therefore, I keep my head down as much as possible. The past few years were, as you know, utterly brutal on so many levels, and I came to terms with the fact that there was no way back. I’ve got used to my new life, and I’m content with that and happy.” Phillip and Holly are no longer on speaking terms after a “toxic” fall out, according to sources.
View 4 ImagesNowadays, he keeps his head down(Image: BBC)
Schofield married wife Stephanie in 1993 and came out as gay on This Morning in 2020. Speaking to The Sun after news of the affair broke, Schofield said he had previously denied rumours about the affair to Stephanie.
He said: “She got off a plane and I phoned her up and texted saying, ‘I need to talk to you’. She called back, and I told her. She was very, very angry.” The pair separated in February 2020 but remained married.
Since his decision to step back from public life, Phillip made a brief return in 2024, appearing on Phillip Schofield: Cast Away, in which the former presenter was dropped on a remote, uninhabited island off the coast of Madagascar for 10 days.
With nobody but himself and several cameras to document his experience on the island, Schofield found himself completely isolated, with only his own mind and story.
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Speaking about the reason he joined the show, Phillip explained: “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.”
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