Wed. Nov 6th, 2024
alert-–-former-this-morning-presenter-philip-schofield-arrives-by-helicopter-ahead-of-the-grand-prix-at-silverstoneAlert – Former This Morning presenter Philip Schofield arrives by helicopter ahead of the Grand Prix at Silverstone

Former This Morning presenter Philip Schofield has arrived at Silverstone by helicopter ahead of this afternoon’s Grand Prix.

The fallen star, 62, arrived at the racecourse in Northamptonshire alongside his wife Stephanie Lowe and his two daughters, Molly, 30, and Ruby, 27.

The family-of-four clambered out of a helicopter before emerging in what appeared to be an exclusive penned-off area close to the track.

They were surrounded by security and staff members working at the course where George Russell, Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris will go head-to-head today at 3pm.

Philip wore a dark brown jacket, paired with a light brown zip-up on top of a pink shirt, paired with beige chinos. His wife Stephanie wore a cream ensemble with a matching bag.

His youngest daughter Ruby wore a Mercedes cap with a black jumper paired with white jeans, while Molly, who now works as his publicist, wore black trousers paired with a white jumper and black raincoat. 

For much of the last year Philip has largely kept a low profile after he confessed to having an affair with a much younger colleague, however, in recent weeks he has started to creep back into the limelight.

Almost a year after quitting the ITV daytime show, he was spotted laughing and joking with his close friend Declan Donnelly and his wife Ali Astall after reportedly enjoying a four-hour dinner.

A few days later he ended his social media blackout of nearly a year by reigniting his Instagram with a sweet photo of his pet pooch Alfie watching Formula One on television.

Within seconds his daughters had liked the photo, as well as his former co-host Josie Gibson in what appears to be clear signs of support. 

PR guru Mark Borkowski says his tepid return to the public eye has come after a year away to disappear and get himself together.

Calling him a rare talent, Mr Borkowski said: ‘He’s testing the waters. But audiences are very forgiving.’

Philip told the BBC in an emotional interview last June the affair had finished his career and revealed that the fallout had left him feeling suicidal.

He told how his two daughters had saved his life and had ‘guarded me and won’t let me out of their sight’.

He admitted during the sit-down interview with Amol Rajan denied he had groomed the younger colleague, before telling critics: ‘Do you want me to die? Because that’s where I am.’

Philip quit This Morning in a cloud of controversy having first lied to bosses about the ‘unwise, but not illegal’ relationship with the male runner 34 years his junior.

An external review led by barrister Jane Mulcahy KC concluded ITV had made ‘considerable efforts’ to find out the truth when rumours began to swirl about the relationship in 2019.

But the repeated denials meant the broadcaster was unable to uncover the truth until Schofield’s admission.

The fallout from the scandal led to the breakdown of his friendship with Holly Willoughby.

After Philip left the show in May, his co-host Willoughby later quit in October due to an kidnap plot. Ex-security guard Gavin Plumb now faces life in jail for his terrifying plans.

The pair were officially replaced by Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley in March as the two took on the show full time after a series of guest presenters had been rotating the daytime slot. 

Back in March friends of the star have said that he is ‘quite certain’ he will never work again.

One said: ‘Phillip has been very, very down recently. He doesn’t know how he is going to work again. It’s devastating for him to realise but he also knows that there is not a lot he can do about it. 

‘He doesn’t know who will take him. He knows there is no way back to ITV or the BBC.’

Sources close to the star say that his friends are trying to encourage him to think he can have a ‘fulfilling life’ away from showbusiness.

One said: ‘Just because he may not be on telly again doesn’t mean he can’t enjoy his life. Phil isn’t so sure though.’

The star, however, been tipped for a job on national radio – his ‘first love’ – with Britain’s largest commercial stations said to be jostling to bring him in to woo new listeners from rivals, including BBC Radio 2.

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