Category: Stephanie Lowe

Phillip Schofield sipped on fizz as he celebrated on a night out with his wife Stephanie Lowe and a group of pals on Saturday at a pub in west London.

The disgraced presenter, 62, – who was at an engagement party for a friend – was seen out for the first time since since taking aim at the ‘three s***s of showbiz’ amid his controversial TV comeback.

He secretly filmed a special three part series for Channel 5, which required him to give up his home comforts for some soul-searching on a tropical island in the Indian Ocean.

It will be the first time he has been on TV since leaving the ITV’s This Morning in May 2023 after admitting to a relationship with a much younger male colleague. In a clip of the show released on Saturday, he took aim at those ‘who betrayed him’. 

But on Saturday night, the star, who came out as gay in 2020, looked care free as he joined his loved ones – including his wife and friends – at the pub and even brought along his pet pooch, just 48 hours ahead of the new show’s first episode. 

He looked smart in a suit and white shirt as he chatted away with the group and seemed in good spirits at the venue that was decorated with heart balloons.

A source told MailOnline: ‘Phillip was with his wife and a group of friends. He seemed in good spirits and looked like he was enjoying himself.

‘It looked like they were attending an engagement party for a friend and he helped himself to some cake too.’

The former ITV star later shared a goodbye hug with a pal before hopping into a waiting taxi. 

It comes following reports that ITV bosses were furious at the star’s claims he would have been treated differently if he had had an affair with a woman rather than a man.

In Cast Away, Schofield says he would have got a ‘pat on the back’ if it wasn’t a homosexual relationship, before taking aim at the ‘three s***s of showbiz’ who betrayed him as he ranted about his downfall. 

In his much-criticised television comeback on Channel 5 programme Cast Away, he refers to himself as the ‘shamed, disgraced Philip Schofield, who had an affair’.

He said: ‘Strangely, I think another TV presenter or two might have done exactly the same thing. Difference is heterosexual. It’s not an unusual thing in the gay world for there to be a difference in age groups.

‘That’s not that unusual in the straight world, but if that had been the case with me and it had been a woman. Pat on the back. Well done, mate.’

Schofield said that he ‘has regrets’ and acknowledges he ‘got something wrong’ and ‘hurt the people’ around him.

‘I don’t know what price you’re supposed to pay and whether the price you’re paying is necessarily proportionate,’ he adds.

Hitting back, a source at the channel said: ‘It’s a stupid thing for Phil to say, and it is just not true. Phil lied to his colleagues, his bosses and his friends about it, it wouldn’t have mattered if it was a woman or a man.’

They add that Schofield is unlikely to work with the channel again despite his hints that he had been approached to appear on their reality show, I’m A Celeb. One source said: ‘He lied to us, it would be really, really difficult.’

In the programme, which airs from Monday, Schofield takes aim at a trio of his former ITV colleagues, saying: ‘I think there are only three s**ts.’ 

He pointed out that one was a ‘coward who never stepped up in queue gate,’ while another ‘is a coward because they never stepped up when I was being battered by that one journalist who thought I’d got them fired.’

The third, Schofield says ‘is just brand orientated. Not what you expect, not what you think you’re going to get.’ 

Continuing to take aim at those who he believes wrong him, Phillip added of his formerly long-standing TV career: ‘They know how important that was to me. 

‘They know when you throw someone under a bus, you’ve got to have a really bloody good reason to do it. Brand, ambition is not good enough’, reports The Sun.

He went on: ‘People can be fake. They can be so fake with you when it’s all going well, and suddenly utter, utter betrayal.

‘There are a lot of amazing people in morning television.’

He also insisted that he has now quit television and doesn’t want to make a return despite filming the three-part show for Channel 5 which sees him having to survive alone in Madagascar. 

While Phillip failed to disclose which ITV figures he was referring to, he did take the opportunity to take a brutal swipe at his ex-colleagues.

Despite mentioning ITV Co-stars Ant, 48, and Dec, 49, as well as Joanna Lumley, 78, his former pal Holly Willoughby isn’t mentioned at all throughout the 45-minute episode.

In one outburst which will leave viewers wondering whether it is aimed at her, Schofield says: ‘When you throw someone under a bus, you’ve got to have a really bloody good reason to do it.

‘I got into telly because I love the nuts and bolts of telly, I never wanted to be famous. I’m not fussed about that.

‘I miss parts of it. I miss most of it, I’m honest. But there are bits that I really, really, really don’t miss. You learn a lot about people. I don’t miss that.’ 

ITV’s fury comes as Schofield also hints that he was fired from the network when in fact the first its chiefs learned of his departure was in statement to the Mail where he admitted the affair and said he left with immediate effect.

Sources at the broadcaster also say that he chose to step back from presenting This Morning a fortnight before following a fall out with his former co-star Holly Willoughby.

Meanwhile during the programme, Phillip and his family appeared to mock Holly’s famous ‘are you ok?’ clip as he made his return to TV.

Phillip was ousted from This Morning in May last year, after he admitted to lying about his relationship with a much younger male colleague. 

Holly distanced herself from her former best friend and during a ‘highly strategised’ return to the This Morning sofa in June 2023, she told viewers she had been left ‘shaken, let down and worried.’

When she returned, she began by saying: ‘Hello, Firstly, are you okay? I hope so. It feels very strange sat here without Phil.’

Appearing to reference the now-famous speech on Cast Away, Phillip is seen having a BBQ with his family before heading off to the island. 

In a clip obtained by The Sun, he gives out food to his wife Stephanie and their daughters Molly,  31, and Ruby, 28, and laughs: ‘If you’re ok, then we’re ok, and I’m ok…are you ok?’ 

No mention of Holly is made in the clip. 

The Channel 5 show also took a dark turn when Phillip told how he had ‘everything in place’ for a suicide attempt, but decided against it when his eldest daughter Molly persuaded him not to.

Speaking on the first episode of the three-part series which airs on Monday, the former This Morning host said: ‘In the last eighteen months, it got as dark as it is possible to get.

‘A year ago I got so, so close. I had everything in place, everything was set up and everything was ready and it was Molly that was looking after me.’ 

He explained: ‘Molly and Ruby both looking after me at the time, and Molly said: ‘Do you imagine what this would do to us if you actually managed to pull this off? Can you imagine what would happen and can you imagine what it would do to me if you did this on my watch?’

‘That was just enough, just enough to take a step back from the edge. I could have been hospitalised, I just raced to the family home and shut the gates and I was in there.’

He later pays tribute to his wife Stephanie Lowe, Molly, 31, and his youngest daughter Ruby, 28, saying: ‘Without them, I wouldn’t be here.’

The disgraced presenter revealed this week he was taking part in his own survival show just 16 months on from leaving This Morning after admitting to having an ‘unwise but not illegal’ fling with a junior male colleague. 

Phillip Schofield Cast Away, which is a three-part series, can be streamed on Channel 5 at 9pm on September 30, October 7 and October 14.

Phillip Schofield’s daughter has hold of how her dad’s ‘heartbreaking’ This Morning scandal and him coming out as gay has ‘made them closer.’

Discussing her own ordeal as the former presenter, 62, made his return to TV for Channel 5’s Cast Away, Molly, 31, as she discussed everything for the first time.   

Phillip has been married to Stephanie Lowe since 1993 and the pair share two daughters: Molly and Ruby, 28.

In 2020, he shocked the country when he came out as gay, however, he and Stephanie stayed married – albeit separating later that year.

Speaking on Cast Away, set to air on Monday, Molly opened up about how hard the past few years had been on her family.  

She said: ‘What people don’t realise is that they batter you but then there are other people affected.’

Molly, who works as her father’s publicist, added: ‘We’ve seen him in his lowest times, but I’ve been so proud of him, and as a daughter to see the love that people had for him that when it’s taken away it’s just heartbreaking.’ 

‘Weirdly everything that’s happened recently has made us closer.’

‘When my dad came out, it was, it was very hard for me,’ Molly continued.

‘It was very hard for the entire family. Mainly my mum, of course, everything was turned upside down. But we talked through it and over time it’s got easier.’ 

Phillip secretly filmed Channel 5 special Cast Away, which required him to give up his home comforts for 10 days of soul-searching on a tropical island in the Indian Ocean

During the show, he will discuss his bitter parting of ways with ITV and This Morning, which he hosted for 21 years, while fending for himself on the island paradise, located off the coast of Madagascar.

His wife Stephanie’s world came crashing down when, in May 2023, it finally became public knowledge that Phillip had conducted a years-long affair with a much-younger male ITV colleague.

Phil and Stephanie have never legally divorced with sources close to the couple saying previously that she ‘still loves him’ deeply and will always remain in his ‘support system’ with their daughters Molly and Ruby.

Phillip has not worked since he left This Morning in May 2023 shortly before the affair was revealed. His co-host and once close friend, Holly Willoughby, later left herself, with Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard taking over their roles.

Phillip quit ITV entirely after admitting he had lied to the Daily Mail about his the affair. 

Friends of the star were ‘quite certain’ he would never work again following his admission, but Channel 5 changed this.

One said at the time: ‘Phillip has been very, very down recently. He doesn’t know how he is going to work again. It’s devastating for him to realise but he also knows that there is not a lot he can do about it. He doesn’t know who will take him. He knows there is no way back to ITV or the BBC.’

Sources close to Schofield say that his friends are trying to encourage him to think he can have a ‘fulfilling life’ away from showbusiness.

One said: ‘Just because he may not be on telly again doesn’t mean he can’t enjoy his life. Phil isn’t so sure though.’

Before the Channel 5 gig, Phillip was tipped for a job on national radio – his ‘first love’ – with Britain’s largest commercial stations said to be jostling to bring him in to woo new listeners from rivals, including BBC Radio 2.

An ITV report in December 2023 cleared bosses of a cover-up of the affair and did not mention any further damaging claims about Schofield’s relationship with a young runner on the show.

Despite claims of a ‘whitewash’, industry insiders told MailOnline that it opens the door to the star getting a new big-money deal to return to work in 2024. 

But a senior British broadcasting source said a return to TV for Mr Schofield is ‘unlikely – for now’. 

He said: ‘Now that a line has been drawn in the sand by ITV over the Schofield saga, attention will move on.

‘Within a period of time there is now a place for Phillip to return, possibly not on TV yet, but there are now a myriad of opportunities for him on commercial radio where he will be offered big money to return to his first love.

‘The KC’s report gives him a fresh chance – but nobody will be surprised at all to see that ITV has found itself in the clear as it tries to save This Morning’.

Neither Phillip nor his former partner spoke to Jane Mulcahy KC, whose report came out in December.

Ms Mulcahy found that the unnamed runner’s promotion from This Morning to Loose Women ‘had nothing to do’ with Schofield and claimed that also ‘only one person’ interviewed had knowledge of the affair but ‘did not report their knowledge at time’. 

Phillip Schofield is preparing to make a grand television return after a 16-month absence – and there is one topic viewers will hope he touches on.

The former This Morning presenter, 62, has secretly filmed Channel 5 series Cast Away, which required him to give up his home comforts for 10 days of soul-searching on a tropical island in the Indian Ocean.

Phillip told fans on Instagram on Wednesday that his episodes will begin airing on Monday – and they expect to hear his warts and all reflections on the last few years.

Since 1993, Phillip has been married to Stephanie Lowe, and the pair share two daughters: Molly, 31, and Ruby, 28.

In 2020, Phillip came out as gay, shocking the country. However, he and Stephanie stayed married – albeit separating later that year.

Stephanie poignantly told The Sun at the time: ‘I will still be there, holding his hand. Everyone should be proud to live their own truth.

‘Our family have also been so supportive and will help us going forward. Although this is difficult for us all, I support Phillip in taking this brave step.’ 

But, Stephanie’s world came crashing down when, in May 2023, it finally became public knowledge that Phillip had conducted a years-long affair with a much-younger male ITV colleague.

Phil and Stephanie have reportedly never legally divorced with sources close to the couple saying previously that she ‘still loves him’ deeply and will always remain in his ‘support system’ with their daughters Molly and Ruby.

Phillip has not worked since he left This Morning in May 2023 shortly before the affair was revealed. His co-host and once close friend, Holly Willoughby, later left herself, with Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard taking over their roles.

Phillip quit ITV entirely after admitting he had lied to the Daily Mail about his the affair. 

Friends of the star were ‘quite certain’ he would never work again following his admission, but Channel 5 changed this.

One said at the time: ‘Phillip has been very, very down recently. He doesn’t know how he is going to work again. It’s devastating for him to realise but he also knows that there is not a lot he can do about it. He doesn’t know who will take him. He knows there is no way back to ITV or the BBC.’

Sources close to Schofield say that his friends are trying to encourage him to think he can have a ‘fulfilling life’ away from showbusiness.

One said: ‘Just because he may not be on telly again doesn’t mean he can’t enjoy his life. Phil isn’t so sure though.’

Before the Channel 5 gig, Phillip was tipped for a job on national radio – his ‘first love’ – with Britain’s largest commercial stations said to be jostling to bring him in to woo new listeners from rivals, including BBC Radio 2.

An ITV report in December 2023 cleared bosses of a cover-up of the affair and did not mention any further damaging claims about Schofield’s relationship with a young runner on the show.

Despite claims of a ‘whitewash’, industry insiders told MailOnline that it opens the door to the star getting a new big-money deal to return to work in 2024. 

But a senior British broadcasting source said a return to TV for Mr Schofield is ‘unlikely – for now’. 

He said: ‘Now that a line has been drawn in the sand by ITV over the Schofield saga, attention will move on.

‘Within a period of time there is now a place for Phillip to return, possibly not on TV yet, but there are now a myriad of opportunities for him on commercial radio where he will be offered big money to return to his first love. 

‘The KC’s report gives him a fresh chance – but nobody will be surprised at all to see that ITV has found itself in the clear as it tries to save This Morning’.

Neither Phillip nor his former partner spoke to Jane Mulcahy KC, whose report came out in December.

Ms Mulcahy found that the unnamed runner’s promotion from This Morning to Loose Women ‘had nothing to do’ with Schofield and claimed that also ‘only one person’ interviewed had knowledge of the affair but ‘did not report their knowledge at time’. 

Phillip started out in local radio in New Zealand as a teenager before joining the BBC, hosting a popular show on Radio 1 while presenting Going Live.

It now remains to be seen whether Britain’s most popular stations, such as Classic FM, Magic, Virgin, Heart or other giants now swoop. Greatest Hits Radio has also been on a hiring spree, grabbing big names such as Ken Bruce and Simon Mayo to take listeners from Radio 2.

But sources have said Phillip could soon be back in work. 

Furious ITV staff blasted the external report into Schofield’s affair with a younger colleague as a ‘whitewash’.

One employee told the Mail of their ‘sheer bewilderment’ that only one junior worker was aware of the relationship.

The report found that ITV did not cover up the relationship and that station bosses had made ‘considerable efforts’ to discover the truth in 2019 – four years before the affair broke. 

The external review found that the channel was ‘unable to uncover the relevant evidence’ until Phillip’s own admission in May when he told the Mail that he had been having the relationship and that he had later lied about it.

ITV bosses have said both Phillip and his former lover, who has never been named publicly, ‘repeatedly denied’ allegations of a relationship until the star dramatically quit ITV and formally apologised. 

It added that only one person out of 48 interviewed – a junior employee – said they knew about the presenter’s relationship with the younger male former colleague before he revealed it.

Ms Mulcahy revealed that Phillip refused to take part in the review into the circumstances surrounding the his departure because of ‘the risk to his health’. She added that she was informed that the host’s mental health had since deteriorated.

Phillip’s former colleague and lover also declined to participate in the report.

In April, Phillip and Stephanie were pictured amicably carrying matching brown cockapoos ‘from the same litter’ on his 62nd birthday – just days after their 31st wedding anniversary.

It is not known if they spent that special day together.

Friends of Phillip’s have said recently that he has been down and trying to find ‘fulfilling’ ways to enjoy life away from broadcasting because his career and reputation has been tarnished.

And it appears he and his wife may have decided to get a dog each to help them through some tough times. 

‘Stephanie has continued to support her estranged husband – now they appear to both have new puppies from the same litter’, one onlooker said.