HAD MY PHIL
Inside Phillip Schofield’s TV career from Gordon the Gopher to quitting This Morning
PHILLIP Schofield's career has spanned over 40 years when he first made his name as a TV kids entertainer to daytime talk show host.
The axed This Morning host, 61, who has been in hiding since the scandal broke, approached The Sun to tell his story after what he says was a week of lies flooding social media.
7
7
He spoke for first time about his affair with a much younger colleague, revealing he is “utterly broken and ashamed” — but stressed he did not groom him.
Phil admitted he has "lost everything" and does not see a future for his career, in an emotional and frank interview with BBC's Amol Rajan.
Here we take a look back at Phil's career and where it all started.
BBC Radio
Phil worked as a bookings clerk for BBC Radio from the age of 17, before moving with his family to New Zealand in 1981, where he made his television debut as presenter on the youth music programme Shazam in April 1982.
READ MORE ON PHILLIP SCHOFIELD
Gordon the Gopher
7
After returning to the UK in 1985 he started work as a BBC children's television presenter - hosting his links from the broom cupboard with the help of the puppet Gordon the Gopher.
Phillip presented the CBBC show alongside best pal Gordon the puppet from 1985 to 1987.
They were the first presenters of the show before being replaced by Andi Peters in 1988 who was joined by puppet Edd the Duck.
Speaking to Heat Magazine Phillip said: "Gordon the Gopher is in rehab. It’s all gone horribly wrong for him".
Most read in News TV
He went on to say that he had a "restraining order against him" and that they "don't speak".
While the news of the end of their tight-knit friendship saddened fans, they were thrilled when the pair were reunited during an episode of This Morning last year.
Going Live
He then joined Saturday morning children's programme Going Live.
Phil also co-hosted the BBC quiz show Test the Nation with Anne Robinson.
And in July 2006, he signed an exclusive two-year contract with ITV, reported to have been worth £5 million.
Schofield's TV Gold
There he hosted a number of shows including Talking Telephone Numbers, Schofield's Quest and Schofield's TV Gold.
Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
In 1991 he starred in London's West End in the lead role of the musical Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, following this with the title role in the musical Doctor Dolittle in 1998.
This Morning
7
7
Phil then landed ITV's This Morning in 2002 until 2023.
He was a presenter on the ITV daytime show replacing John Leslie with Fern Britton until 2009 and with Holly Willoughby who replaced Britton in September that year.
Have I Been Here Before?
The television host later presented two series of Have I Been Here Before?, a daytime programme in which a celebrity attempted to use regression to get in touch with a previous life.
The British Soap Awards
It wasn't long after that he landed the hosting gig at The British Soap Awards, from 2006 to 2023.
Dancing on Ice
7
In 2006 he also became the host of Dancing on Ice on ITV, alongside Holly Willoughby.
It was announced in the summer of 2013 that IT was to come to an end following the 2014 series.
But in 2018, he returned to co-present the show after four years away.
All Star Mr & Mrs
The television star also worked alongside Ferne Britton on a revival of the ITV game show Mr and Mrs in 2008.
Two years later it was renamed as All Star Mr & Mrs but returned without Britton.
The Cube
Phil's primetime gameshows include ITV's The Cube, which he presented from 2009 until 2015.
He returned five years later to host the show again when it was rebooted.
Notable interviews and coverage
7
From 2009 to 2014, Phil hosted A Night of Heroes: The Sun Military Awards with Amanda Holden.
In 2011 and 2012, he co-hosted ITV's coverage of Prince William and Catherine Middleton's wedding and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee with Julie Etchingham.
Talking to The Sun and visibly shaking, Phillip said: “I did not, I did not (groom him).
“There are accusations of all sorts of things. It never came across that way (an abuse of power) because we’d become mates. I don’t know about that.
“But of course I understand that there will be a massive judgment, but bearing in mind, I have never exercised that anywhere else.
“I assume somebody, somewhere, assumed something was going on, correctly, and didn’t say anything."
The star continued: “At the time I did not think about it possibly ruining my career. I really probably only thought about it when I saw the rumour mill, and saw it growing.
“Then I saw the link with the drama school photo all those years before, and thought, ‘This looks shocking’.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
“But I didn’t lie to protect my career, he didn’t want his name in public. He wanted his own life.
“The lies grew bigger and bigger and bigger and it was affecting both of us deeply."
Topics