‘ITV needs Schofield a whole lot more than Schofield needs ITV’
Phillip Schofield could be set to return to daytime TV, with the presenter tipped to replace Richard Madeley on Good Morning Britain.
Schofield hasn’t been involved in television since he resigned from ITV after admitting to lying about an “unwise but not illegal” affair with a colleague during his time as This Morning presenter.
However, he could be in line to return to presenting duties as part of the broadcaster’s flagship morning news show, Good Morning Britain.
According to PR guru Edward Coram James, Schofield could “regain his moniker” as the king of daytime TV.”
He told Woman’s Own magazine: “If they [ITV daytime] are to stand even the slightest chance of remaining relevant, they will need all of the help and pulling power that they can get. Schofield has always proven himself to be popular.”
“He’s now proven himself to be flexible and disciplined. Attributes that will be absolutely crucial for the likes of ITV in the years ahead and attributes that ITV showed a total lack of in the way that they handled the initial scandal.”
James went on to suggested that “ITV needs Schofield a whole lot more than Schofield needs ITV,” the Express reports.
During his time as Good Morning Britain, Madeley’s outspoken approach has often landed him in hot water.
Last October, he sparked thousands of Ofcom complaints due to his questioning towards British Palestinian MP Layla Moran. This was the second most complained about episode of 2023, and the presenter ended up apologising.
PR expert Dom Aldworth wondered whether incidents such as this might encourage Madeley to step away from his role on GMB.
He said: “If [Richard] feels his stint on Good Morning Britain no longer brings him enjoyment and the comments from fans become too much, we could see him step away from the role and use this time to focus on something else.”
Schofield stepped down from his role as This Morning host and quit ITV after admitting he had lied about the relationship, which he described the affair as “unwise but not illegal.”
This was followed by allegations of a “toxic culture” at This Morning during Schofield’s time as host, although an external review found there was no evidence of this.
Since the scandal, Schofield has not had a role in TV, but recent reports have claimed he is eyeing up a return.
Earlier this year, he was pictured with celebrity pal Declan Donnelly, and a source told the Mirror that the I’m A Celebrity presenter was encouraging Schofield to return to work.
