Phillip Schofield
Phillip Schofield is one the most successful, best-loved and busiest personalities on TV but life experience has taught him to always count his blessings
When it comes to TV presenters, the one known as the Silver Fox would seem to have the golden touch. There’s his regular ‘day job’ on the award-winning This Morning with Holly Willoughby, the re-booted Dancing on Ice – also with Holly – occasional series such as Schofield’s South African Adventures and How to Spend It Well at Christmas with his real-life wife Steph, and the soon-toreturn game show, Five Gold Rings which he presents on his own. For some, it wouldn’t be difficult to come across as a tad smug and selfimportant, but not one bit of it. This is one TV legend who takes nothing for granted. “I never forget how lucky I am,” he says. “I’m very happy with everything at the moment but there was a time, after I’d played Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat on stage at the London Palladium in the Nineties, that I couldn’t get back on TV. That taught me to never take anything for granted. I think I’m now considered to be a fairly safe pair of hands on TV, but I’ve learned that it doesn’t matter who you are, what you do or how good you think you are, no one is irreplaceable. You keep working and do your best but you’re never that far away from someone saying, ‘He’s had his day now...’” It’s not only with regards to work that Phillip (55) counts his blessings; he almost lost his younger brother, Tim, just over two years ago when Tim, who has Type one diabetes, was suddenly taken ill and nearly died. “They were two of the most difficult weeks our family ever went through,” Phillip said, once his brother was on the mend. “Tim was in his car in the middle of nowhere when he was taken ill and there is no question that the paramedic team who arrived saved his life. We will never be able to put into words how grateful we are to them and the incredible team at University Hospitals Bristol. Thank goodness for our wonderful NHS!” Family is incredibly important to Phillip. He and Steph dote on their two daughters, Molly (24) and Ruby (21). ‘‘Our happiest times are spent as a family with our daughters,” he says. “The moments when Molly and Ruby are at home and we’re all watching a movie or a TV show together. That, to me, is absolute bliss.” Back to work, though, and Phillip is busier than ever. What does he think is the secret of his success? “I’ve never analysed it but as a TV presenter, I think it’s important to be yourself. I’m genuinely interested in people and issues and hopefully that comes across. My dad always instilled in me and my brother that whatever we wanted to do – whether an icecream seller or cab driver – we should strive be the best we possibly could. When it comes to This Morning, it’s
‘I’m genuinely interested in people and issues and hopefully that comes across’
wonderful working with someone like Holly. We get on so well and always have done. We have a shared sense of humour that works at the same speed.” Watching Phillip and Holly unable to control their laughter on screen is one of TV’s ‘must sees’ but we can’t help wondering if they ever get told off for bursting into giggles. Apparently not... “That’s never happened. Holly and I both know how far to go. There is definitely a kind of ‘laughing in church’ element to it and once we start, it can be hard to stop but one of us manages to pull it back.” It was on the original Dancing on Ice that Phillip and Holly first worked together in 2006. “It was the first time we worked together. We had such fun that when the position became vacant on This Morning, I said, ‘Holly is the only person I want. If I can’t have her I’m not playing!’ If they hadn’t agreed, I don’t know if I would have carried on. “It’s great to be back with DOI, although it is a different show in some respects. The whole set is different, the way the show is done is different and there are big screens with great projection onto the ice. “The glitter drives me crazy though. I have a glitter phobia; I can’t bear it. If it gets on your hands and you can’t get it off, or there’s a piece on your face and they start picking at it, it drives me mad.” It must also be tiring having to be on the This Morning set early on a Monday morning when he’s been working all day Sunday. “You’re not digging ditches or fixing people’s brains,” Phillip replies. “It is great fun to do, but it’s only telly!”
Dancing On Ice is on ITV on Sunday evenings