Phillip Schofield became visibly choked with emotion just minutes into his television comeback as he spoke about his late father on his new show.
The former daytime TV presenter sparked a stir when it was announced he would be hosting a new Channel 5 programme,: Cast Away”, which premiered on Monday night.
In the three-part series, the 62 year old endures a 10-day survival challenge, cast away off the coast of Madagascar, battling to survive alone on the deserted island of Nosy Ankara, as he scavenges for food and water in a gruelling test.
However, amidst his survival efforts, Phillip dropped several bombshells, over a year after his departure from his presenting role on ITV’s This Morning and Dancing On Ice.
After revealing details about his dismissal, Phillip’s emotions began to get the better of him as he opened up about his late father Brian, a man he refers to as “his hero”, reports .
Phillip Schofield ecame visibly choked with emotion just minutes into his television comeback (Image: Channel 5 )
He started off by saying: “My dad, he was a fly fisherman so he was really accurate, first said about his father Brian. Phillip first shared about his father Brian. He recalled: “He was so kind and so caring and so loving, and so generous. My dad was my hero.
“As tears began to well up, he attempted to regain his composure. “There’s a lot of things I’m glad he didn’t see”, he confessed. Phillip has frequently spoken about his father, who passed away from a long-standing heart condition in 2008.
Phillip previously shared a poignant insight into how his late father might have reacted to his decision to come out, recalling a heartfelt conversation with Chris Evans on the ‘How to Wow’ podcast. He revealed that he asked his mum: “When I went down to Cornwall when I told my mum, I said, ‘What do you think dad would have said? Would he still be proud?
Don’t miss…
The presenter faced 10 days in the jungle (Image: PA)
Opening up about his father’s passing on This Morning, Phillip reflected: “My dad died in 2008, he’d been poorly for a long time. We knew it was going to happen, but when it finally did happen we heard from the hospital.
“He also made a striking observation about the timing of death, saying: “It is this extraordinary physical thing that a person who is near the end of their life who without even knowing maybe, waits until family have left the room and then they go quietly on their own.”
After leaving ITV last year following a highly publicised affair with a younger staff member, Phillip is reportedly planning a television comeback. The scandal not only damaged his reputation but allegedly contributed to a reported rift with his former co-host, Holly Willoughby, who also left This Morning in 2023.
Cast Away continues Tuesday, October 1 on Channel 5 at 9pm