A downcast Phillip Schofield broke cover yesterday (September 4), the same day that ex pal Holly Willoughby was all over the news for making her return to This Morning.
Holly has been off over the summer and returned to front the show with Alison Hammond yesterday. Phil has been off screen since May when news of his “unwise but not illegal” affair with a much younger colleague emerged.
Phillip Schofield news: Phil breaks cover as Holly returns
As Holly’s comeback was panned by viewers and critics alike, Phil headed out for a reported three-hour lunch at his local pub in leafy West London suburb Chiswick, where he lives.
Phil appeared glum as he emerged from The Roebuck wearing blue shorts, a white T-shirt, trainers and dark sunglasses. He was seen checking his phone as he left the pub. It’s not known who he was with and, in pictures obtained by The Sun, he appeared to be leaving alone.
The presenter also appeared to be wearing his wedding ring.
‘Time to recover’
The outing came after a source claimed that Phillip needed “time to recover” after “losing his entire career” after lying about his affair to bosses, friends, family and members of the public.
A source alleged: “Phil has really kept his head down since he left This Morning. Losing his entire career in a matter of weeks hit him hard, and he needed time to recover. Even now, everything is still very raw for him.
“But in the last few weeks he has begun to entertain offers and consider what his next steps might be. When he met with Vanessa earlier this month, she suggested a conversation with Piers about Talk TV. He was open to that conversation.”
There are also reports that he is considering a tell-all book to give his side of the story. It’s claimed he’s had preliminary talks with publisher Hodder & Stoughton over an autobiography.
The source alleged: “He made it clear in the conversation that he would like the chance to tell his story in full, and in some ways to draw a line under what has happened, but that he would not do so without the approval of his family.”
Read more: It’s time to park This Morning, ITV – Holly without Phil just doesn’t work
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