Phillip Schofield is to make a controversial TV comeback next week in a show that he shot himself living on a remote island for 10 days.
The 62-year-old was a fixture on UK TV screens for more than four decades but his career came to a screeching halt in May 2023 when it emerged that he had lied about having an affair with a much younger colleague on This Morning.
Although Schofield had not done anything illegal, his deceit to his employers in not disclosing the relationship - as well as wall-to-wall media pressure - led to him losing his job at ITV and he has remained out of the limelight since.
© Channel 5
Now it has been confirmed that Schofield will helm his first TV project since the scandal - a three-part documentary series for Channel 5 called Cast Away which will air next Monday to Wednesday.
The show will follow the presenter as he is left alone on a remote island off Madagascar for 10 days and nine nights, with no crew present as he documents his experience by operating the cameras and sound himself.
"This is most definitely a first for me and the only thing I felt compelled to do," he said in a statement. "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 Hanks' Wilson and quietly drift off into the wild blue yonder!"
© Channel 5
C5's 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..."
Phillip Schofield: Cast Away begins Monday at 9pm on Channel 5.
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