For more than two years, the question has lingered quietly across the TV industry: what will Holly Willoughby do next?
Since stepping away from This Morning in October 2023, the presenter once synonymous with daytime television has largely stayed out of the spotlight — save for a brief return with ITV’s You Bet! and Netflix’s Celebrity Bear Hunt.
Now, insiders say the wait is over. And the comeback Holly is planning may be her boldest move yet.
Going it alone — no broadcaster attached
The Mail on Sunday can reveal that Holly, 44, is quietly developing her own television project, one that will see her produce and host the show herself — without the backing of a traditional broadcaster.
Instead, she is working with her husband Dan Baldwin and his production company Hungry Bear to create what insiders describe as a “multi-strand programme designed for digital platforms.”
Crucially, this will not be a podcast.
And it won’t follow a familiar TV format.
“It’s something completely new,” a source close to Holly revealed.
“Modern, progressive — and not something anyone has done before.”
At the centre — on screen and behind it
Those involved say Holly will be hands-on at every level, shaping the concept behind the scenes while also fronting the project herself.
“The industry has changed enormously,” the source added.
“It feels like the right moment for Holly to do something different — something she truly owns.”
She is said to be “thrilled and excited” by the creative freedom — and is developing the format with a small, trusted team, rather than a sprawling network machine.
Life after This Morning
Holly’s departure from This Morning in 2023 shocked viewers — not least because it followed the revelation that a former security guard had plotted to kidnap, rape and murder her.
The horrifying threat came just months after her very public fallout with long-time co-presenter Phillip Schofield, marking one of the darkest chapters of her career.
Since then, Holly has been careful, selective, and private about her return to television.
Her brief comeback alongside Stephen Mulhern on Dancing On Ice was cut short when ITV cancelled the show — fuelling speculation that she was reassessing her future entirely.
Online TV streaming services
What about Strictly?
Rumours continue to swirl that Holly is among the frontrunners to replace Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman on Strictly Come Dancing after their reported exits last year.
But insiders insist her focus is elsewhere — on building something independent, flexible, and on her own terms.
A new chapter — rewritten
For years, Holly Willoughby was the reassuring constant of British daytime TV.
Now, she appears ready to rewrite that role entirely.
No sofa.
No co-host.
No network safety net.
Just Holly — and a project she controls from the ground up.
Whether it becomes a blueprint for a new kind of TV career remains to be seen.
But one thing is clear:
Holly isn’t stepping back.
She’s stepping sideways — and forward.
