Phillip Schofield in good spirits as he says he's found 'new happy place' one year after ITV This Morning exit
Phillip Schofield said he's found his new 'happy place' in a social media post
Instagram/Getty
Phillip Schofield has been keeping a low profile away from the public eye since his This Morning exit in May last year but has recently been making sporadic returns to social media.
The 62-year-old has only recently reappeared on Instagram, and in his most recent update, the former presenter beamed as he claimed he has found his "new happy place".
His initial comeback post was shared back in June when he returned to Instagram with a post featuring his dog, Alfie.
His hiatus came after he admitted to lying about an "unwise but not illegal" affair he'd had with a younger colleague on ITV's This Morning - he quit the show soon after the admission.
Before May of this year, Schofield had kept silent ever since his bombshell interview with the BBC, in which he expressed how the controversy had affected his mental health.
However, he seems to be in better spirits now as on Monday, he shared another snap of himself in the middle of a field of sunflowers.
Phillip Schofield shared a happy update with fans on social media
Smiling broadly, he captioned the post: "What a find!!! New happy place".
The ex-presenter has had social media comments from the public turned off since he returned but a few friends and followers have been able to show their support.
Celebrity Juice star Leigh Francis and This Morning relief host Rochelle Humes both liked the post while the ITV show's contributor Alice Beer commented: "Gorgeous," followed by a heart emoji.
He also shared a short video clip to Instagram Stories of the field as he walked among the flowers. He added Harry Styles' song Sunflowers as a fitting background tune.
Phillip Schofield left ITV's This Morning just over a year ago
Getty
Rumours about Schofield planning to make a television return have been rife since he broke his social media silence and these were intensified when he was spotted out and about with a number of other famous faces.
Celebrity PR specialist Kayley Cornelius believes Schofield's team is attempting to "sprinkle" him back into the public eye as rumours of a possible I'm A Celeb stint later this year continue to circulate.
On behalf of Betfred back in May, she explained to GB News: "After Phil’s controversy and the stark end to his This Morning career, there’s no surprise that he went straight into hiding for several months following the incident and left many speculating whether he would eventually return to TV or he would permanently call it quits.
"However, as tensions start to die down, there are now signs to indicate that Phil could be teasing his return to the big screens, and it could be as soon as this year."
Speaking about the increased sightings of Schofield, she added: "In recent months, paparazzi shots appear more calculated.
"While I wouldn't outright claim they're staged, it's clear his team recognises that Phil's increasing public presence and interactions with celebrity friends naturally draw press attention.
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After a year of silence, Schofield stated he has found his 'happy place'
Getty
"It seems they've shifted from their previous mission of keeping Phil out of the spotlight to a more embracing stance."
There were also rumours Schofield could be taking part in this year's Strictly Come Dancing, but so far this remains unconfirmed speculation.