Phillip Schofield, once hailed by his biographer Piers Morgan as "the hottest star in Britain today", has seen his career dramatically unravel amid a series of damaging press stories. The 61-year-old presenter, who began his career as a teenager, rose to fame as a children's television host before becoming the face of ITV's This Morning.
Born and raised in Cornwall, Schofield got his first break in New Zealand before returning to the UK to present BBC children's programmes, including the Saturday morning show Going Live! with puppet Gordon the Gopher. He later transitioned to mainstream entertainment and joined This Morning in 2002 as a temporary stand-in following the arrest of then-host John Leslie, who was later released without charge.
Schofield soon made the role his own, initially alongside Fern Britton, who left in 2009 amid rumours of a rift over pay. She was replaced by Holly Willoughby, and the pair became one of television's most celebrated duos, known for their chemistry with guests such as chef Gino D'Acampo. However, their tenure was not without controversy, including a 2012 incident in which Schofield handed then-Prime Minister David Cameron a list of alleged paedophiles found online, later apologising after some names were identifiable to viewers.
Behind the scenes, tensions grew as Willoughby's career flourished. Both presenters were represented by talent agency YMU, but Willoughby left in 2020 to set up her own agency, leading to a legal dispute over earnings. Around the same time, Schofield made the surprise announcement that he was gay, paying tribute to Willoughby's support. He later gave an exclusive interview to the Sun on Sunday.
The final blow came after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, when Schofield and Willoughby used media accreditation to access Westminster Hall, bypassing the long public queue. The ensuing backlash, known as "Queuegate", severely damaged their reputations. With Schofield's career now under threat, his decades-long reign as a British television staple appears to have come to an end.
