TV stars raise £40k at charity shoot

Television star Phillip Schofield and his wife Stephanie have raised more than £40,000 for children’s hospice charity Shooting Star Chase at a clay pigeon shoot at The Royal Berkshire Shooting School (RBSS) earlier this month.

Mr Schofield has been a patron of the charity, which cares for babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions, and their families, for more than 15 years. The Schofields, who have been shooting at RBSS for more than 10 years, hosted the event, in which 25 teams competed, many famous faces among them.

Mr Schofield commented: “It’s awful to think anyone has to step through those doors but I’m so grateful the angels that work at Shooting Star Chase are on the other side. The charity does an utterly incredible job and that’s why I’m proud to be involved.”

ITV’s This Morning presenter Phillip Schofield hosted the charity clay shoot

Celebrities helping to raise funds at the shoot included Mr Schofield’s This Morning co-host Holly Willoughby, who joined him and his family on one team, and Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly (better known as presenters Ant and Dec), along with Mr Donnelly’s wife, Ali Astall, who battled it out on another team. Entrepreneur and Dragons’ Den judge Peter Jones headed up a further team, and This Morning life coaches Nik and Eva Speakman took on the pigeon shooting stands together.

Mr Donnelly, who accidentally broke a gun during the shoot, said: “I don’t know how it happened — maybe I’m too strong! But the most important thing is I beat Ant. We were neck and neck until the last stand, but I won in the end.”

RBSS managing director Dylan Williams commented: “Phil loves sporting clays and last year decided to set up what we are affectionately calling the Schofield Family Shoot.

“Really it is his friendship with Ant and Dec, Holly and Peter that made it feel such a family day. Everybody said that the atmosphere was outstanding.”