Channel 5 has decided to implement a rather drastic measure over its online promotion of the new series, Phillip Schofield Cast Away.
The former This Morning star will return to screens for the first time in over a year next week after spending much of the past 16 months out of the spotlight.
Schofield departed ITV in May 2023 after admitting to an “unwise but not illegal” affair with a younger member of staff on the show.
The 62-year-old also admitted to concealing the affair from bosses and his relationship with long-time pal and co-host Holly Willoughby was left in tatters.
In Cast Away, Schofield has promised to tell “my side of my story” over the course of three episodes.
The premise of the show sees Schofield marooned on his own on a desert island with nothing but camera equipment as he documents his survival experience.
Channel 5 confirmed the release of the series this week after Schofield issued a cryptic statement about his TV return.
In the trailer for the show, Schofield can be heard saying: “It is my chance to tell my side of the story. I know what I did was unwise, but is it enough to absolutely destroy someone?”
The first episode airs on Monday evening and in order to promote the show, Channel 5 has been sharing images and clips from Cast Away on its social media channels.
However, Instagram users have slammed the channel for disabling comments on its posts about the series, prompting several to hijack updates about other shows to air their dismay.
Slamming the network’s decision to prevent fans from commenting on the promo material – as well as the decision to commission the series as a whole – followers have branded the choice “shameful”.
“Will be boycotting moving forward,” one fan brutally commented on a post about the drama series, The Wives.
On the same post, a second hit out: “Shame on you i will not be watching… your channel.”
Elsewhere, a third slammed: “@channel5_tv why are you not allowing comments on your tv series with Philip scofiled… is it because of backlash… you should be ashamed.”
“I wonder why they have turned off comments on the ‘Schofe’ programme?” another pondered.
And a fifth blasted: “The fact you had to turn off the comments on the Phil posts. Who are you?”
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“Not sure about the new show,” a sixth also weighed in on a recent Instagram post from Channel 5.
GB News has contacted representatives for Cast Away for comment.
Channel 5 Commissioning Editor, Guy Davies, previously welcomed the new show with Schofield at the helm, saying: “This isn’t just a survival challenge, it’s a 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…”
Schofield also said upon the announcement: “This is most definitely a first for me and the only thing I felt compelled to do. 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 Hank’s Wilson and quietly drift off into the wild blue yonder!!”
