PHILLIP Schofield looked downcast during a trip to the pub in London today, as Holly Willoughby returned to This Morning.
Former presenter Phillip, 61, was axed by ITV in May after admitting to lying about an affair with a younger male colleague.
And while Holly, 42, made her comeback after the summer break, her old co-star got out a pair of shorts and went to his local boozer.
Phillip was spotted leaving The Roebuck in Chiswick following a three-hour lunch, sporting black sunglasses.
He wore a white T-shirt featuring an illustration by The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse author, Charlie Mackesy.
The broadcaster checked his phone and shot a glum expression while stepping out in the suburb.
It follows reports he is considering a return to television and releasing a tell-all memoir three months after his affair scandal.
Phillip was recently pictured enjoying dinner in West London with former This Morning co-star Vanessa Feltz, with The Mirror reporting he could be interested in following her to Talk TV.
A source said: “Phil has really kept his head down since he left This Morning. Losing his entire career in a matter of weeks hit him hard, and he needed time to recover. Even now, everything is still very raw for him.
“But in the last few weeks he has begun to entertain offers and consider what his next steps might be. When he met with Vanessa earlier this month, she suggested a conversation with Piers about Talk TV and he was open to that conversation.”
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While he was allegedly receptive to a talk with firebrand Piers, the source added that Phillip won’t be rushing his next move.
And before he graces screens again, a juicy memoir is likely to be released giving Phillip the chance to tell his side of the story.
He’s thought to have had preliminary talks with publisher Hodder & Stoughton regarding a deep dive into the scandal that left his career in tatters.
The source said: “He made it clear in the conversation that he would like the chance to tell his story in full, and in some ways to draw a line under what has happened, but that he would not do so without the approval of his family.”
The Sun contacted representatives for Phillip and Hodder & Stoughton at the time.
