Phillip Schofield could be on the verge of a dramatic TV comeback, with rumours circulating that he's now in a position to replace Richard Madeley on Good Morning Britain.
Richard, 68, has divided GMB viewers, with some enjoying his outspoken approach, while others have criticised his interviews on the ITV show.
A PR expert has suggested that Phillip, 62, who resigned from This Morning in 2023 after an "unwise but not illegal" affair, could "regain his moniker" as the superstar of daytime television.
Edward Coram James told Woman's Own: "Having witnessed Schofield's handling of the fallout, there is every reason to believe that he could regain his moniker (as king of daytime TV)."
Speaking about ITV Daytime, he later said: "If they are to stand even the slightest chance of remaining relevant, they will need all of the help and pulling power that they can get. Schofield has always proven himself to be popular."
He continued: "He's now proven himself to be flexible and disciplined. Attributes that will be absolutely crucial for the likes of ITV in the years ahead and attributes that ITV showed a total lack of in the way that they handled the initial scandal.
The expert said it takes "serious, serious discipline" to stay radio silent for as long as Phillip, saying: "To put it simply: ITV needs Schofield a whole lot more than Schofield needs ITV."
Edward said this discipline has allowed the former presenter to maintain his "personal brand" throughout the crisis, and it's "hardly surprising" that he's considering a comeback.
Richard has previously come under fire for his interviewing methods, having sparked controversy over an April interview with George Galloway that led to a number of Ofcom complaints.
In October 2023, he generated 2,378 complaints due to his line of questioning while interviewing British Palestinian MP Layla Moran, making it the second most complained about episode of that year.
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Phillip officially resigned from This Morning in May 2023 after he revealed that he'd had a "consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague" and later quit ITV altogether.
He was also alleged to have been having a feud with former co-host Holly Willoughby, with whom he'd worked for 14 years. They were later replaced by Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley as official co-hosts on This Morning.
Edward has hinted that enough time has now elapsed for the former ITV favourite to return to TV, and his behaviour after the crisis has only helped his position.
He said: "His behaviour during and after the scandal is a textbook example of how people should act in the face of a PR disaster. It's a feat that very few manage to pull off.
"But it's given Schofield the opportunity for a second chance."
