celebrity news

Phillip Schofield: How This Morning star 'reinvented himself' after BBC snub


The Schofield family returned from New Zealand, following a near-death experience where Phillip had to fight to bring his father back to life

Soon after the 12,000-mile move, the future star would land his first job on UK screens fronting Children’s BBC (CBBC).

But not before a harsh comment from a BBC producer who unintentionally mocked the viewing figures he had received on ‘Shazam!’.

The cutting encounter was documented in Robin McGibbon’s 1992 biography ‘Phillip Schofield: The Whole Amazing Story’.

The put-down came from Peter Hamilton, who was looking for someone to host the TV show ‘No Limits’.

Over a lunch in Notting Hill Gate, West London, Phillip had told him about the number of people tuning into his New Zealand show – which by BBC standards appeared low. 

Mr Hamilton said: “He was proud about his work in Shazam! And told me the show had 800,000 viewers.

“I said something like, ‘Oh, hard luck – don’t worry about it.’ I had no idea 800,000 was great for New Zealand. 

“Poor Phillip must have been deflated by my reaction, but took it well.”

The producer told Phillip he was unsuccessful because he was “too clean for the job” – which “disappointed” the star but he appeared to “understand”.

Mr Hamilton said: “We had 200 people in the studio audience, with live bands and lots of other things happening, and I needed someone with a huge amount of character – someone quite spiky.”

JUST IN: Phillip Schofield: This Morning star’s BBC snub launched Timmy Mallett

Mr McGibbon explained that as the projectiles were being flung at Mr Goss – later for the band ‘Las Vegas’ – Phillip didn’t know what to do.

He added: “But, then, one of the eggs hit a woman in a wheelchair, in the front row, and Phillip blew his top.”

Outraged, he charged onto the stage and yelled at the perpetrators: “I don’t normally use language like this, but you’re a bunch of w*****s.”

While his explosion of rage was witnessed by the 40,000 strong crowd, fortunately it wasn’t aired on TV – but even that alone could have jeopardised his career.

After the incident, Phillip was “unrepentant” and didn’t apologise for swearing at the audience – fortunately the BBC “backed him up” with an official statement.

It read: “Phillip doesn’t regret using the word – in the heat of the moment it was entirely justified.”

While the following days’ newspapers had a “field day” over “‘Mr Clean’ using a dirty word” – the verbal onslaught seemed to pay off as fans loved him all the more.

Later that year in October, he also flashed his “bare bottom” during a sauna scene for his travel series ‘Schofield’s Europe’ which he considered a “good giggle”. 

This was coupled with the spiralling rumours about his love life – including the secret beginnings of the relationship with future wife Stephanie Lowe



READ SOURCE

Leave a Reply

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you accept our use of cookies.