Philip Schofield left ITV’s This Morning in 2023 after admitting to having had an “unwise but not illegal” affair with a younger colleague.
However, rumours of the 62-year-old returning to screens after a hiatus have been rife, especially since the former presenter returned to Instagram earlier this year.
Schofield has mainly used his social media return to share sweet snaps of his dog, Alfie. However, many have predicted he has been gearing up for a return to TV.
On Tuesday, Schofield shared a cryptic message on his Instagram Story which read: “Watch this space… 9am,” along with a wink emoji.
At the time of his affair scandal, Schofield admitted to lying to his wife as well as ITV and his colleagues.
Following his admission, he vanished from the public eye, leaving his long-held This Morning position as well as his Dancing on Ice hosting gig.
Both his social media return and his snapped meet-up with Declan Donnelly led to speculation he has been preparing to make a comeback.
Speaking in May, an expert told GB News Schofield was likely attempting to “regain the public’s trust” with his careful social media posts.
Celebrity PR specialist Kayley Cornelius believes Schofield’s team is attempting to “sprinkle” him back into the public eye as rumours of a possible I’m A Celeb stint later this year continue to circulate.
On behalf of Betfred, she explained to GB News: “After Phil’s controversy and the stark end to his This Morning career, there’s no surprise that he went straight into hiding for several months following the incident and left many speculating whether he would eventually return to TV or he would permanently call it quits.
“However, as tensions start to die down, there are now signs to indicate that Phil could be teasing his return to the big screens, and it could be as soon as this year. “
Speaking about the increased sightings of Schofield, she added: “In recent months, paparazzi shots appear more calculated.
“While I wouldn’t outright claim they’re staged, it’s clear his team recognises that Phil’s increasing public presence and interactions with celebrity friends naturally draw press attention.
“It seems they’ve shifted from their previous mission of keeping Phil out of the spotlight to a more embracing stance.
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“In PR, we call this the ‘sprinkle sprinkle’ method. This is when you subtly reintroduce a concept, person, or product to an audience to gauge their reaction, and is typically used as a form of risk assessment before finalising projects.”
It follows speculation made back in March that Schofield’s daughter Molly, who once worked at the talent agency that represented him, has been “acting as his PR”.
