Phillip Schofield

b. 1 April 1962, Oldham, Lancashire, England. When Schofield took over the leading role of Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the London Palladium while Jason Donovan went on holiday early in 1992, it proved to be one of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s most (commercially) inspired decisions. Having been obsessed with broadcasting from an early age, Schofield eventually secured a job as a bookings clerk with the BBC in 1979. Later that year he emigrated to New Zealand with his family, and began his television career there on a pop show called Shazam!. He stayed in New Zealand for three and a half years, and, on his return, landed a late-night spot on Capital Radio in London. During the 80s he became one of the most popular presenters on children’s television, especially on the Saturday morning programme Going Live!, and other shows such as the travelogue Schofield’s Europe, and Television’s Greatest Hits. He also had his own record programmes on BBC Radio One. In October 1991, while hosting the Smash Hits Pollwinners Party on live television, he was ‘assaulted’ by the guitarist Fruitbat, a member of the eccentric pop group Carter USM. When he recovered, he revealed that Jason Donovan had been voted Best Male Singer - and, just under three months later, took over from Donovan in Joseph at the Palladium on 13 January 1992. The theatre’s box-office was besieged, and, from then on until Donovan returned for the last few weeks prior to the show’s closure in January 1994, Schofield played the role for extended periods and was widely acclaimed - particularly by the young girls who arrived by the coach load. Undoubtedly, many of them bought his record of ‘Close Every Door’, one of the songs from the show, pushing it into the UK Top 30. Since then, Schofield has continued to front television programmes such as the ‘investigative series, ’ Schofield’s Quest, Now We’re Talking, and Talking Telephone Numbers. Voted the BBC/SOS Top Man on TV for three years running, and winner of TV Times Awards for four years, he was honoured with The Variety Show Business Personality Of The Year Award in 1993. Following his personal triumph in Joseph he eventually toured with the production, returning to London again in 1996, this time at the Labatt’s Apollo Theatre, Hammersmith. At that same theatre, on the 14 July 1998, Schofield led the cast, attracting excellent reviews, in the world premiere of Leslie Bricusse’s stage musical, Doctor Dolittle.