Phillip Schofield reunites with special friends, moving on without Holly Willoughby

Phillip Schofield stirred up the media last week with his unexpected return to TV after more than a year away from the public eye. 

Following a major controversy, Schofield had kept a low profile, but he recently broke his silence, even making some pointed remarks about ITV and his former This Morning co-host Holly Willoughby. 

Now, he’s been spotted out in London, reconnecting with another familiar face from his broadcasting days.

The 62-year-old presenter was seen dining with Gyles Brandreth, a former MP and regular on the ITV chat show that Schofield hosted for over two decades. 

The two were photographed by The Sun enjoying an upscale dinner with Brandreth’s wife, Michele Brown, at Charlie's in Brown’s Hotel, Mayfair. 

The group appeared relaxed, with Schofield dressed in a black jumper and Brandreth in a classic white shirt and jacket. They reportedly spent several hours at the restaurant, before Schofield was later seen leaving with a female friend, whom he linked arms with as they headed to a car.

Since May 2023, Schofield has largely kept out of the public eye after admitting to an affair with a younger colleague. Initially, he described the situation as “unwise but not illegal” and stated he’d decided to step down from his ITV role. 

Later, however, he claimed that he was actually dismissed due to his brother’s legal troubles at the time. 

In a surprising announcement last month, Schofield revealed he’d return to screens in Channel 5’s Cast Away, a show where he faces the isolation of a desert island while reflecting on his own turbulent year.

During the show, Schofield appeared to make a few pointed comments, hinting at tension with Willoughby. It was later reported that he had sent her a blunt message during the fallout from the scandal, allegedly stating, “You brought me down.”

According to The Mirror, the message was sent just before news of his This Morning departure became public. Sources claim Schofield was disappointed that Willoughby did not publicly support him during the scandal, believing that their on-screen partnership had been essential to the show’s success.

The Mirror reports the daytime TV star blasted Willoughby via WhatsApp the day before the news of his This Morning departure was confirmed to the public.

A friend told the publication: "As well as saying she had brought him down, he said he couldn’t believe his TV sister would do this to him."

It's been reported Schofield blamed Willoughby for not publicly defending him during reports of the suspected falling-out between the pair in the aftermath of his brother's court case.

The publication claims Schofield asked his colleague for a supportive statement or a snap of them together but was ignored.

"He feels it was a simple gesture that might have saved his job and her refusal to do so effectively finished him off, believing in the TV chemistry was the bedrock of the This Morning format," the source continued.

Willoughby reportedly told the disgraced presenter she didn't want to "feed the narrative."