Phillip Schofield can “bounce back” in his career following the scandal over his affair with a younger male colleague, a communications expert has told Sky News.
Kevin Craig also said that Schofield could have avoided his current situation if he had been “honest earlier on” about the relationship.
The 61-year-old presenter resigned from ITV last week and was dropped by his talent agency YMU after admitting to an “unwise but not illegal” affair with the man who he worked with on This Morning.
Schofield’s relationship took place while the television star was still married to wife Stephanie Lowe and before he came out publicly as gay. He had denied having a relationship with a colleague when questioned by ITV about rumours in early 2020.
Speaking in his first interview since quitting the daytime show, the presenter said his “career is over” and that he has had suicidal thoughts following the scandal – but insisted he did not groom the young man in question.
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Mr Craig, founder and chief executive of the communications agency PLMR, told Sky News he thinks his career is not at an end following his “moving” broadcast interview.
He said he believes the presenter did the interview in order to “exert control over the situation which had been terribly lacking in recent weeks”.
“And I have to say, after many years of working in public relations and crisis management in this country, this was one of the most powerful, moving, poignant, robust, dramatic interviews that we’ve seen in decades. And I really feel for him,” he said.
‘Possible’ for Schofield to have TV career
Asked if he thinks Schofield can continue his career in television, Mr Craig said: “I think he can, because I think rehabilitation is possible. And again, you have to compare this over time to some of the other scandals that people in the public eye have been involved with.”
He added: “Yes, he’s made mistakes, but what’s he done? He’s had an ill-advised affair at work… you see people bounce back from that… I think there is a future for Phillip Schofield.”
He said that while Schofield’s mistake was not disclosing his affair earlier, his interview demonstrated “real honesty and candour”.
The Mail On Sunday’s editor at large, Charlotte Griffiths, told Sky News she believes Schofield is holding out some hope of continuing his showbiz career.
She said: “He said that he thinks his career is over repeatedly, of course, but part of me thinks that deep down, maybe even subconsciously he does harbour some hope because he was very keen not to say a single bad word about ITV.
“He’s played this absolutely, saying all the right things. And part of me thinks maybe he hopes one day, many, many years from now, there is some hope he might appear in some capacity on television screens again.”
‘Prince Andrew interview showed mea culpas don’t work’
However, Ms Griffiths said that she doesn’t believe Schofield’s interviews with the media will help his situation.
“I don’t think it will work,” she said. “I think we learnt from, say, the Prince Andrew mea culpa that was televised.”
Read more:
Phillip Schofield’s side of the story raises more questions – who knew what, and when?
‘I still love Phillip Schofield’: Alison Hammond in tears on This Morning
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Schofield should have been ‘honest’ earlier on
Mr Craig said Schofield could have avoided the whole scandal if he had been honest from the start.
He said: On what he believes the end destination of the story is, Mr Craig said: “This is a remarkable situation because when you look at this through the prism of crisis management, one of the things in crisis management and protecting your reputation, is being honest.
“And it really pains me to see that had Phillip Schofield been able to be honest earlier on, internally, this whole situation could have been avoided.
“Now, for me, the end destination as a professional would be good health for Phillip and his family. He’s done his work now. He should now do nothing else for the coming weeks.”
