Monday night (September 30) saw Phillip Schofield make his first TV return since he left This Morning in May 2023, but some viewers claimed it was “boring as hell”.

The 62-year-old exited the ITV programme after he admitted to an “unwise but not illegal” affair with a younger male colleague.

But now the three-part series (Phillip Schofield: Cast Away) on Channel 5 sees him marooned on a tropical island off the coast of Madagascar with a handful of cameras, trying to find his own food and shelter to survive.

Following his arrival at the small island of Nosy Ankarea in the first episode last night, Schofield reflected on how the survivalist experience helped to empty what he called his “toxicity tanks”.

The former Dancing on Ice presenter said he wants people to “let me get on with the quiet life that you’ve all given me”, and then reflected on how “dark” things became.

But some Channel 5 viewers slammed the hour-long episode for being “the most boring hour of television” while others called for the show to be “boycotted”.

Taking to X, this person posted: “Well that was the most boring hour of television I’ve ever watched on Channel 5 and he is still as annoying as we all already knew. #CastAway #PhillipSchofield”

Another exclaimed: “THIS IS BORING AS HELL #PhillipSchofield”

Someone shared: “We should all switch off at the same time lol  #PhillipSchofield”

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This account on X who wasn’t impressed said: “The dragging this sh**e on for 3 episodes apparently  #PhillipSchofield #CastAway”

One viewer commented: “I can’t believe people ACTUALLY tuned in to the Phillip Schofield show #castaway”

Additionally, this tweet stated: “Not watching it .. #CastAway #PhillipSchofield Boycott all the advertising on this #Channel5 program let those companies know it’s wrong"

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“#PhillipSchofield #castaway, bored of it already,” said this person.

On tonight’s episode (October 1) of Cast Away, Schofield says he had expected to “die on live television at 93”, but now he doesn't think he wants to “do it any more”, as he has been “hurt so badly” by being a presenter, and “some of the people on that sort of telly”.

The second episode of Phillip Schofield: Cast Away airs at 9pm on Tuesday on Channel 5 and will continue on Wednesday (October 2) at the same time.