Phillip Schofield is in ‘a really bad place’ and has ruled out a TV return following ITV probe into scandal
PHILLIP Schofield has appeared to rule out a TV return amid reports that he is in “a really bad place”.
The TV star has been off-screen following his This Morning exit which has been at the centre of an ITV probe.
Friends of the presenter have told the Daily Mail that he has no plans to return to the spotlight anytime soon and will continue to “cocoon himself” at his London home.
Phillip left the programme after admitting to lying about an affair with a much younger male ITV colleague.
Insisting that the ITV probe had left Phillip “dreading” the results, pals told the Mail: “Phillip isn’t returning anywhere, he has been in a really bad place since he decided to tell the truth and resign from his job. He has got himself into a cocoon and he is continuing to recover.
“He has had the report hanging over his head for a long time.
“It has been a thing of dread for him.”
Friends went onto claim to the publication that he had hopes to start to “build a life of some kind” now that the probe has finished but it would be away from the public.
Neither Phillip nor the young runner – known as Person X – co-operated with the ITV probe.
The affair with the runner, who was at least 30 years Schofield’s junior, started at ITV in 2017 and the presenter admitted they shared a moment in his dressing room that same year.
The ex-broadcaster, 61, and his former lover were meant to be quizzed at length amid the review – after their affair came to light in May.
In the report by Jane Mulcahy KC, Schofield is referred to as PS, and the runner PX – Person X.
Ms Mulcahy wrote: “PS ‘reluctantly decline[d]’ my invitation to participate in the Review because of the risk to his health.
“I am informed that PS’s mental health has since deteriorated.”
It said that the runner “wanted to move on with his life and was not prepared to assist with” the review.
The report revealed that of the 48 people interviewed – only one person knew of the affair before May.
And, they were only told two years prior.
The findings also suggest that one person is not Holly Willoughby as they were a junior at ITV.
In the wake of the revelations, Phillip retreated from public life and quit all of his ITV obligations, including Dancing on Ice and The British Soap Awards.
He also split from his management company, YMU, after admitting to lying to his agents about his affair.