Phillip Schofield has kept a low profile since he sensationally quit This Morning 16 months ago after a ‘wilful but not illegal’ affair with a young runner on the show.

Lorraine Kelly defends Phillip Schofield as she gives update on his hard life

Phillip Schofield has kept a low profile since his sensational exit from This Morning (Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Phillip Schofield’s post-This Morning journey has been challenging, as revealed by his ex-ITV colleague, Lorraine Kelly. The seasoned Scottish TV presenter, 64, expressed her heartbreak when the former This Morning star, 62, left his cherished show nearly two years ago following an admission of an “unwise but not illegal” affair with a young runner on the programme.

Phil maintained a low profile over the past year after confessing that his career was “finished” and pledged to avoid the spotlight. He then staged a dramatic return with a new Channel 5 project, Cast Away, which involved him surviving on a desert island for 10 days. Speaking out about the role, the father-of-two posted on Instagram at the time: “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.”

The star disabled comments, preventing fans from sharing their views on his television comeback, reports The Mirror. However, one of his old pals has had their say on Phillip’s resurgence, stating, “He’s doing all right and he will be all right.”

Phillip Schofield returned to television last year on Castaway (Image: Channel 5)

Lorraine Kelly conceded that Phil’s life has been “hard.” She explained her view on “cancel culture” as “very sad and quite depressing” and noted that there are individuals in the entertainment industry who take pleasure in witnessing someone’s downfall.

In a candid chat with the Sunday Times Magazine last year, Lorraine expressed her sorrow over the events surrounding Schofield’s departure: “I was heartbroken when all that happened. It’s just a shame for the amazing career that he’s had, for it to end like that.”

She praised Schofield as “generous”, a trait she finds rare among men in showbiz, and felt that “everybody lost their minds a wee bit” amid the controversy. Since his exit from This Morning in May 2022, Phil has maintained a low public profile, only being spotted once in August enjoying dinner with his friend Venessa Feltz.

Following his shocking revelation, Schofield confided to The Sun about his fear of venturing outside and the “catastrophic effect” the situation had on his mental health. In a BBC interview, where he was seen vaping intensely, he disclosed that his daughters were so concerned for his well-being that they “wouldn’t let him out of their sight.”

After a seven-month hiatus, the TV presenter made an unforeseen comeback. Channel 5 handed him the reins of a new programme last year that involved him being marooned on a tropical Madagascan island for a reflective 10-day stint.

Described as a genuine and intense test of physical and mental endurance, Phillip was left alone with only a few cameras to record his experience. A spokesperson for Channel 5 explained that the solitary island life offers Phillip a chance to face the challenges of complete isolation and the elements and provides him with the opportunity to delve into his own controversial story.

The series was met with mixed reviews, and he hasn’t been seen in the spotlight since.