Holly Willoughby's 'fresh start' as she vows 'never to go back to those dark days'
Holly Willoughby has had a traumatic year, by anyone’s standards - from the Phillip Schofield scandal which saw her former co-host step down from the flagship morning show, to the terrifying kidnap ordeal. But thankfully, things are taking a positive turn for the star, 43. Holly, who lives with husband Dan and their children together -Harry, 14, Belle, 12, and Chester, 8 - is set to host a raft of primetime shows, which will see her firmly back in the spotlight and on everyone’s lips.
“Holly can’t wait for 2025 and to finally put everything behind her," a source said. "It’s been quite a hellish year, what with the Gavin Plumber trial and the ongoing fallout with Phil but she is starting to feel like herself again.” They added: “And that’s mainly down to her friends and family - they’ve all been so supportive and have helped her through some dark times.”
She may be one of the country’s biggest TV stars, but Holly had largely disappeared from the small screen for almost a year, after quitting This Morning after 14 years on the famous sofa. She was spotted celebrating recently at the premiere of Robbie Williams’ new biopic Better Man - but the first time Holly appeared on a red carpet in a long time was her unpublicised appearance at September’s National Television Awards.
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There, too, she beamed that famous megawatt smile on the red carpet - looking the epitome of old Hollywood glamour, in a tight-fitting metallic dress as she chatted happily to fans. Although she wasn’t up for a gong on the night, where previously she’d have been nominated with her former telly husband Phillip (before enjoying the boozy afterparty together, then joking about it on This Morning the following day), Holly looked happy, confident and right back where she belonged.
And one man that has been there for her through all the many highs and lows of the past year and beyond is Holly’s devoted TV executive husband, Dan - who she married in a star-studded ceremony in West Sussex, in 2007. Dan is the producer behind hit game show The Wheel and Holly’s old show Celebrity Juice, who Holly is thought to have met while they were both working on the BBC kids' show Live & Kicking.
And as our source says, Dan, 49, has been Holly’s ‘rock’. “While all of this could’ve put pressure on some relationships, it has only made these two stronger. She feels so lucky to have him.” They add: “They have moved house this year, which was a hard decision to make because that was their family home, but she no longer felt safe there and their new house feels like the fresh start they all need.”
Holly’s first significant return to the spotlight came after former security guard Gavin Plumb, the man who plotted to rape and murder her, was jailed in July. Plumb was given three life sentences for planning to break into the star’s home, then sedate, abduct and kill her and her husband.
Holly announced dramatically that she was leaving This Morning last October, following Plumb’s arrest - and until her public appearance this September, she had understandably been keeping a markedly low profile, after what must have been a traumatic experience. She will also have been recovering from the scandal which saw her former co-presenter Phillip, 62, admit to an affair with a much younger This Morning runner, and step down from the show, amid rumours that she and Phil, former best friends, were barely on speaking terms.
But clearly, difficult as the interim months must have been, Holly is back on her feet, and feels it’s time to move forward and get back to business as usual. And her bright TV comeback continues apace, as fans can expect to see her in a raft of big shows. She kicked off the spirited reboot of gameshow You Bet! with old pal Stephen Mulhern last Saturday, and will be joining Stephen again in January for ITV’s twinkly skating show, Dancing On Ice - before hosting Bear Grylls’ big-budget reality show Bear Hunt over on Netflix, a move that will no doubt introduce Holly to a global audience.
Our source maintains that with her new projects, Holly feels she can finally draw a line under the whole This Morning scandal. “People will see her doing different things, working with different co-stars.” But they add that, following Stephen’s recent shock hospital dash, after he fell ill at a Pizza Express, which came after reports that the presenter was struggling following the death of his father Christopher, she’s there for him throughout.
“Obviously it’s bittersweet because her You Bet and Dancing On Ice co-star Stephen is going through a tough time right now - she is supporting him and feels she is strong enough to be able to do that. But Holly can’t wait to get back to doing jobs and shows she loves. She is determined to never go back to those dark days and feel as vulnerable as she did.”
After a nightmare year, the future looks bright as Holly looks forward to a fresh start in 2025. It would seem ITV’s golden girl is back…
