Insider rubbishes claims Phillip Schofield is being lined for Strictly

‘There’s more chance of seeing Gordon the Gopher on the dance floor’: Insider rubbishes claims Phillip Schofield is being lined up by the BBC for Strictly Come Dancing

•  Phillip Schofield sensationally quit This Morning after 21 years of presenting 

A BBC insider has rubbished claims that Phillip Schofield is being lined up for Strictly Come Dancing, saying: ‘There’s more chance of seeing Gordon the Gopher on the dance floor’. 

It was reported that the BBC were looking to sign Schofield up for a role on the ballroom and Latin dance competition, with a source telling the Sun that ‘they would love to have him on board’.

The source told the publication that ‘Phil has been asked before but this time the offer was more aggressive’ after his shock departure from This Morning. 

However, a BBC insider has since dashed any hopes that he could appear on the Saturday night show, telling MailOnline that Schofield’s puppet sidekick on the CBBC show The Broom Cupboard in the 1980s has ‘more chance’ than him.

The apparent move by the BBC to distance themselves from Schofield, 61, comes after he sensationally quit This Morning after 21 years presenting the show. 

A BBC insider has rubbished claims that Phillip Schofield is being lined up for Strictly Come Dancing

Gordon the Gopher, a puppet sidekick Schofield performed with in the 1980s, had ‘more chance’ of appearing on Strictly – currently hosted by Claudia Winkleman, left, and Tess Daly, right – than him, the source said

Phillip Schofield with Gordon the Gopher in 1992

The veteran TV host’s shock departure from the daytime ITV show last week came amid rumours of a ‘feud’ with his co-host of 14 years, Holly Willoughby.

While the pair are said to have called a truce in private, Ms Willoughby will remain on This Morning and Schofield is due to move on to other primetime projects, including retaining his role hosting the British Soap Awards on June 3.

READ MORE: So who could replace axed Phillip Schofield on This Morning? The runners and riders who might take over from Phil AND Holly after feud

The source continued to the Sun: ‘Since he was axed from This Morning, people have been discussing what they could do with him.

‘Phil has had approaches from broadcasters like Channel 5 who are keen to discuss possible projects.

‘Given he’s currently lying low and trying to work out his next move, it’s unlikely he will put on his dancing shoes but stranger things have happened. No one thought he’d ever leave This Morning and look how that ended up.’

The broadcaster is currently holed up in Cornwall with his mother after announcing he had stepped down from his role at This Morning with ‘immediate effect’ on Saturday.

It comes after a week of turmoil for the presenter which started with rumours of a behind-the-scenes ‘feud’ with his former BFF Ms Willoughby.

After an excruciating week that saw ratings plummet, by Friday it was decided that Schofield had to go, according to an ITV source.

Then on Saturday came the shock announcement that Schofield had ‘agreed to step down from This Morning with immediate effect.’

ITV confirmed that Alison Hammond, 48, and Dermot O’Leary, 49, who already host the show on Fridays, were to step in for Ms Willoughby and Schofield for the week – with both of them high up on the list of potential replacements.

MailOnline has contacted the BBC and a representative for Schofield for comment.

It comes after both Phil and Holly were nominated in the same category in the National Television Awards longlist in an awkwardly-timed nod

It comes as ITV was forced to release a statement insisting his exit on the crisis-hit show was ‘agreed’ upon between the star and the broadcaster’s bosses, amid speculation he was axed over the ‘feud’ with co-presenter Ms Willoughby.

Ex-This Morning star Eamonn Holmes this week tore into Schofield for claiming he was leaving of his own accord after 20 years.

The GB News presenter instead said Schofield ‘was sacked’ as he suggested Ms Willoughby was being duplicitous when she claimed to be sad about the exit. During the newspaper review, Holmes said: ‘Oh please just stop this. He was sacked. 

‘All this nonsense of “I’ve decided to step down”. I’m sure you did – here’s your P45, now step down’.

He then went on to mimic Ms Willoughby and said: ‘And she says, “Oh, the couch will not be the same without him being there.” Well, she wanted him not there. So what is she moaning about. They deserve each other I suppose’.

‘Holly is being as false as he is and nobody is talking about the elephant in the room… Holly knows the truth, the story is with her,’ the 63-year-old presenter added. 

ITV has now insisted Schofield chose to step down from the hit morning show after reaching an agreement with the broadcaster’s bosses. 

A spokesman told MailOnline: ‘Phillip Schofield’s decision to step down from This Morning was, as his statement made clear, a decision agreed between Phillip and ITV.’

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