Phillip Schofield could battle killer spiders and deadly fungus in Channel 5 comeback

Former This Morning presenter Phillip Schofield has been announced as part of the lineup for Channel 5's Cast Away, in which he will be left stranded on a deserted island

Phillip Schofield is gearing up for a gripping ordeal as he embarks on a desert island survival challenge to confront his inner battles.

The renown presenter, who part ways with ITV's This Morning following revelations of a relationship with a younger male co-worker, is marking a return to television with Channel 5's Cast Away. For the show, Phillip will spend 10 days isolated on an island close to Madagascar surviving with "no food or water".

Others have undertaken similar trials before him. Notably, Ruby Wax participated in Cast Away's inaugural series, and Joanna Lumley has also braved isolation for BBC's Girl Friday.

For her own adventure, Joanna was cast away on Tsarabanjina Island, managing to fashion shoes from her bra. Phillip, only armed with the garments hes clad in and "no camera crew", is set to undergo comparable hardships.

Promotional images reveal a hirsute Phil lounging on idyllic white sands, casually dressed in a grey T-shirt, blue shorts, running shoes for the comfort on his feet, and sporting a wide-brimmed hat against the intense heat. Clad with a microphone and cobbling together a makeshift shelter, Phil appears resourceful using a tarp for bedding and converting what seems to be a canvas sack into a pillow, reports the Express.

The star declared: "Now you know how I spent my summer! Alone for 10 days, no food, no water, no crew. My story of survival, both on a desert island and off it."

With the debut episode airing next week, viewers are left wondering: what daunting challenges will Phil confront on the show?

While it's not yet confirmed which remote island near Madagascar Phil was taken to, the area is known for its variety of dangers, including a deadly spider species.

The region may not be renowned for large killer creatures, but it's often the smaller ones that pose the most threat. According to PBS' Nova, Madagascar is home to a poisonous spider found in caves around the Ankarana Special Reserve.

This area is also riddled with scorpions that like to burrow into sleeping bags for warmth, along with centipedes "whose bite has been likened to the touch of a red-hot iron". Tarantulas, bombardier beetles and hissing cockroaches are also native to the region.

But it's not just the insects. The Malagasy forest houses the agy vine, which "rains nettle-like hairs" on anyone passing nearby.

Prickly pears could potentially serve as a food source for Phil, but he needs to be wary of the spines that can "become stuck" in human flesh.

Finding food and water will be top priorities for the TV anchor as he'll be left without supplies. Humans can generally survive three days without water, meaning he'll need to find a source quickly. It's up to three weeks for food as long as there's water to drink.

Phillip also needs to be cautious of a lethal fungus threatening the frog species native to the islands. The fungus, known as Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis or Bd, has caused "population crashes" of amphibians in regions where it thrives.

The Guardian reports that this malady can "wipe out entire populations within a few years of arriving in the area". Luckily, there's no evidence that it harms humans.

Yet he does face the danger of being assaulted by fossas. Anyone familiar with the animated Dreamworks classic 'Madagascar' will recognise it as a sizeable creature notorious for preying on lemurs, and adult males may occasionally attempt to bite humans particularly when they're struggling to find food.

Despite its menacing reputation, the fossa is an endangered species that predominantly hunts small to medium-sized animals. In an effort to bolster their numbers, several zoos have initiated breeding programmes.