Phillip Schofield has broken his almost two-year internet silence to back England in the 2026 World Cup.
The former This Morning presenter keeps a much lower profile these days, in stark contrast to the life he once lived at the height of his fame.
Schofield, 64, retreated from the limelight in mid-2023 after admitting to lying about an affair with a young male ITV co-worker.
While ‘unwise’, he insisted that the fling was ‘consensual’ and ‘not illegal’, having met the colleague at a drama school talk when he was 15, after which he arranged a job interview for him at This Morning. The affair began when the young man was in his 20s, and Schofield was mid-50s.
The broadcaster, who came out as gay on live television in February 2020, having been married to wife Stephanie Lowe since 1993, suffered numerous knocks to his career in the following months, including being dropped by his talent agency of 35 years and as a Prince’s Trust (now the King’s Trust) ambassador.
In the wake of his scandal, Schofield left his property in London and fled to his £840,000 home in Cornwall, where he lives a quieter, slower life.
He has not posted on Instagram since November 2024, when he shared a photo of a vibrant Newquay sunset after scattering the combined ashes of his mum and dad.
Tonight, however, ahead of the Three Lions taking on Norway in Miami, Schofield was keen to voice his support.
In a close-up selfie of his face, the ex-host showed off transfer tattoos of the England flag and one on his cheek, slightly rubbed off but meant to read ‘It’s coming home’.
‘Bloody s***e transfer’, he joked, adding a face-plant emoji and a laughing face.
Schofield has limited comments on his page, which still boasts 2.5million followers.
His backing for Thomas Tuchel’s squad comes after David Beckham was joined by his family for the game, while other ITV stars, including the cast of Loose Women, Coronation Street, and more, sent well-wishes online.
The shamed daytime star’s last screen appearance came 16 months after he broke away from the public eye.
In September 2024, he featured on Channel 5’s Cast Away, which comprised three 60-minute episodes, filmed entirely by Schofield himself as he was stranded alone on an island for 10 days.
He spoke candidly about being axed by ITV in emotional scenes, which aired to mixed reactions.
Schofield also declared that he was ‘done’ with TV, stating that he ‘doesn’t care anymore’ and ‘this is me having my say as I bow out’.
While public support from showbiz pals and colleagues (such as once-best pal and co-star Holly Willoughby) has dwindled over the last three years, Schofield has remained tight with his family, in particular after experiencing ‘dark’ thoughts and getting ‘so close’ to taking his own life.
‘We’ve seen him at his lowest times, but I’ve been so proud of him,’ daughter Molly said in the Channel 5 series. Schofield also has daughter Ruby.
In one episode, Schofield explained that the ‘love of my family never wavered’, despite them admitting that their worlds were turned ‘upside down’ when he came out.
Molly also revealed that Schofield and his ex-wife are still good friends.
A month after Cast Away aired, Schofield announced that his mother, Pat, had died, saying he will ‘forever be proud and privileged she was my mum’. Schofield’s father died in 2008.
Pat remained supportive of her son following his affair drama and as he hit ‘rock bottom’. The mother-son pair were photographed together in Cornwall amid the fallout and again after his brother, Timothy, was sentenced to 12 years behind bars after being convicted of sexually abusing a teenage boy.
Most recently, Schofield gave a rare comment to the Daily Mail, saying in May this year: ‘Life is really calm and drama-free now. I decided a while ago that I just wanted a quiet life with family, friends I can trust, and my dog.’
He added that he now keeps his ‘head down as much as possible’.
‘The past few years were, as you know, utterly brutal on so many levels, and I came to terms with the fact that there was no way back.
‘I’ve got used to my new life, and I’m content with that and happy.’