Phillip Schofield is rumoured to be gearing up for a TV comeback following a year-long hiatus that followed his "unwise but not illegal" affair scandal.
A year on from the controversy which made headlines for weeks, Schofield has posted a snap to his Instagram account.
The photo showed his dog, Alfie, seemingly immersed in Formula 1, which the former This Morning star joked in the caption: "Thankfully, Alfie is a big @f1 fan."
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, 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. "
Schofield has been spotted in public a few times recently
ITV/Getty
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.
"It seems they've shifted from their previous mission of keeping Phil out of the spotlight to a more embracing stance.
"In PR, we call this the ‘sprinkle sprinkle’ method. This is when you subtly reintroduce a concept, person, or product to an audience to gauge their reaction, and is typically used as a form of risk assessment before finalising projects."
It follows speculation made back in March that Schofield's daughter Molly, who once worked at the talent agency that represented him, has been "acting as his PR".
MailOnline reported Schofield’s daughter was in the office when she learned of her dad’s confession and was comforted by her colleagues.
Speaking to the publication, a source revealed the father and daughter are working together, with his daughter acting “as his PR”.
“Molly was popular at YMU but it was always going to be a little bit awkward working there after what happened,” they said.
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A PR expert has claimed Shofield is preparing for a TV comeback
Getty
Continuing, the source added: “As recently as three weeks ago she was negotiating with the British media about stories that had been published about her father, acting very much as his PR.”
He was dropped from the agency and left This Morning, cutting ties with ITV.
