Phillip Schofield hasn’t been on our TV screens since May after he quit This Morning following the scandal surrounding his affair with a younger colleague. But last week, Phil hit headlines when it emerged he had paid a six-figure sum to his ex-lover as part of a mutual non-disclosure agreement.
And now insiders say that Phil, 61, is preparing his comeback and is finally ready to leave the past behind.
They tell Closer, “Phil is desperate to return to TV and is hoping to have meetings with producers over the coming months. He was concerned about things being rehashed, but now feels he can move forward. He wants to leave the past where it is.”
Phil’s decision to quit came after months of speculation surrounding both his affair and a feud with his co-host and BFF, Holly Willoughby. Just days later, Phil responded to the rumours and admitted to having had an “unwise but not illegal” relationship with a younger male employee at This Morning while he was still married to his wife, Stephanie Lowe.
Since then Phil has been keeping a low profile, while Holly – who left This Morning in October following an alleged kidnap plot against her – has made her career comeback with Dancing On Ice.
The source adds, “Phil thinks viewers will give him a second chance. He accepts he’s very unlikely to ever work on ITV again, but there are other channels out there and he believes he still has a huge amount to offer as a broadcaster.
“He may well do another TV interview before returning as a presenter, and he’s also writing another book. He wants to use that as a chance to tell his story. Everyone deserves a second chance, and Phil hopes he gets it.”