“I’ve Hit Rock Bottom… And This Might Be My Last Chance To Make It Right.” Holly Willoughby Is At The Most Fragile Crossroads Of Her Career — And Insiders Say The Clock Is Ticking. After Scandal, Backlash, And A Fall From The Tv Throne She Once Ruled Effortlessly, The Former Golden Girl Now Faces A Brutal Truth: The Public Has Turned Away. Sources Close To Her Reveal She’s Been In Tears Behind Closed Doors, Whispering To Friends: “I Don’t Want To Be Forgotten… But I Can Feel Myself Fading.” And Now, Crisis Experts Warn It Will Take Drastic, Painful, Reputation-saving Action If She Wants Even A Flicker Of Her Old Stardom Back. No Shortcuts. No Excuses. No Gloss. Because The Message From Viewers Is Harsher Than Ever — And Impossible For Her To Ignore: “We Don’t Want The Polished Holly… We Want The Honest One.” Behind The Scenes, Plans Are Quietly Forming. A Reset. A Reckoning. A Reckoning. A Comeback Built Not On Glamour, But On Grit. But Whether She Can Pull Herself Out Of The Storm — Or Slip Into The Shadows For Good — Depends On What She Does Next… And How Much Truth She’s Finally Willing To Face.
She was once the undisputed golden girl of daytime television, but these days Holly Willoughby has all but disappeared from our screens.
The presenter, 44, was the jewel in ITV‘s crown for many years, carving out her place as a fan-favourite face on its top shows including This Morning, Dancing On Ice, Surprise Surprise, Celebrity Juice, The Xtra Factor and I’m A Celebrity.
But, after several headline-hitting controversies, the host has stepped away from the spotlight and gradually seen her popularity dwindle.
This year marks the first time in more than two decades that Holly has not had an ITV show on her schedule and she only made one TV appearance, all the way back in February for Celebrity Bear Hunt, where she only had 24 minutes of screen time.
However, there have been numerous reports in recent months that she is planning her big comeback and hopes to reclaim her TV crown.
After being away for so long, Holly has a long way to go to win over the British public again, but experts have insisted she can find her way back on top if she acts quickly and strategically.
She was once the undisputed golden girl of daytime television, but these days Holly Willoughby has all but disappeared from our screens (seen last year)
The presenter, 44, was the jewel in ITV ‘s crown for many years, carving out her place as a fan-favourite face on its top shows including This Morning (seen in 2023) Dancing On Ice , Surprise Surprise, Celebrity Juice , The Xtra Factor and I’m A Celebrity
Once known for her seemingly indestructible squeaky-clean reputation, Holly has seen her golden girl status take a nosedive in recent years following a string of scandals.
The first major blow to her family-friendly image came when during ‘Queuegate’, when she and former co-host Phillip Schofield were accused queue jumping at the Lying-in-State of Queen Elizabeth II.
At the time, Holly was said to be distraught over the change in public opinion towards her and the scandal reportedly caused a rift in her relationship with her co-host, with insiders claiming that ‘cracks began to show’ between the once close pair.
Sources reported that relations between the then-friends deteriorated further in the coming months before coming to head when it emerged that Phil had been having an ‘unwise but not illegal’ affair with a younger male colleague.
The extent of their bitter feud was exposed when Phil made his TV comeback in Channel 5 series Cast Away in October, in which he referred to Holly as ‘one of the three s***s of showbiz’.
The disgraced host accused his ex-pal of ‘betrayal’ after suggesting she helped to orchestrate his departure from the ITV show because they thought his brother’s trial and Phillip’s affair were both bad for her ‘brand’.
Holly had previously vented her frustration at Phillip’s lies when he tried to deny he was having an affair with the showrunner, before eventually coming clean by releasing a bombshell statement to the Daily Mail in May 2023.
While this week has seen Holly back into the headlines, after she broke a scooter rider’s neck after knocking him over in her £25,000 Mini Cooper.
After being away for so long, Holly has a long way to go to win over the British public again, but experts have insisted she can find her way back on top if she acts quickly and strategically
The first major blow to her family-friendly image came when during ‘Queuegate’, when she and former co-host Phillip Schofield were accused queue jumping at the Lying-in-State of Queen Elizabeth II
On Tuesday, she pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention at Lavender Hill Magistrates Court, following the accident that occurred on August 28, 2025.
During the collision, the victim was knocked off his scooter by Holly’s vehicle as she turned right into a street near her London home without indicating, suffering a fracture to his neck and a broken toe.
In mitigation, Holly’s defence lawyer claimed that she had a ‘momentary lapse in judgement’ which was ‘completely out of character’ and said that Holly was ‘traumatised’ when she realised she’d caused the accident.
But the scandals are thought to have tarnished her once clean-cut image, and caused her to fall out of the public’s favour.
Yet, PR and entertainment expert Lynn Carratt has insisted that Holly can bounce back from this latest controversy, despite the car crash coming ‘at a time when Holly was seeking to reposition her public image and career’.
Speaking to The Sun, she argued that Ant McPartlin ‘overcome far worse in 2018’, when he was arrested for drink-driving, after crashing into a BMW and a Mini while twice the legal alcohol limit.
Ant received a record £86,000 fine – thought to be the highest ever handed out by a British court for drink-driving – and also took a step back from his onscreen duties to go to rehab.
And ironically, Holly herself stepped in for the Geordie star, taking his place alongside long-term presenting partner Dec Donnelly for the following series of I’m A Celebrity.
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At the time, Holly was said to be distraught over the change in public opinion towards her and the scandal reportedly caused a rift in her relationship with her co-host, with insiders claiming that ‘cracks began to show’ between the once close pair
While her extended break from the spotlight has been to focus on her wellbeing and family, after being targeted for terrifying kidnap and murder plot by obsessed security guard Gavin Plumb (pictured)
While her extended break from the spotlight has been to focus on her wellbeing and family, after being targeted for terrifying kidnap and murder plot by obsessed security guard Gavin Plumb.
The 38-year-old was found guilty of soliciting murder and inciting rape and kidnap of the presenter following a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court and was sentenced in July to life in prison with a minimum term of 16 years.
A jury took 12 hours and 19 minutes to find him guilty after being presented with a raft of shocking evidence, including a chloroform restraint kit that he planned to use to kidnap the star.
The trial heard how Plumb discussed taking time off work in order to organise the attack, plotting to take Holly to an isolated stud farm to sexually torture her, kill her and dump her body in a lake.
At his sentencing earlier this year, judge Mr Justice Murray described some of the plans Plumb had discussed online as ‘particularly sadistic, brutal and degrading’.
In October, Plumb lost a challenge against his sentence at the Court of Appeal, with it dismissed as ‘ultimately unpersuasive’.
The judge said messages containing Plumb’s plans were ‘distressing, even for seasoned professionals, to read’, and that Mr Justice Murray’s decision to pass a life sentence was ‘unimpeachable’.
After the horrific plot came to light, Holly announced her decision to leave This Morning after 14 years for ‘herself and her family’, and has since stayed away from the spotlight and showbiz events.
After the horrific plot came to light, Holly announced her decision to leave This Morning after 14 years for ‘herself and her family’, and has since stayed away from the spotlight and showbiz events
But reports have been swirling for some time that after the well-needed break, she is readying herself to come back with a bang.
After stepping away from This Morning, she still landed plenty of opportunities to keep her television career on the up and up.
But, she turned then down a lucrative deal to front a new series of the classic game show You Bet! after presenting the first series of ITV show with Stephen Mulhern.
A source told the Mail: ‘You Bet was so popular with the viewers wished it came back for two shows that ITV bosses decided to give it a full run.
‘Holly and Stephen are a great double act and they were both brilliant so they were asked back. But Holly politely declined, she has other commitments and couldn’t make it work.’
However, after declining the offer for You Bet! to branch out on other projects, Holly was dealt a blow when Dancing On Ice was axed – which she’s presented since 2006.
In a statement shared with the Mail in March, an ITV spokesperson confirmed: ‘Following another successful series earlier this year, Dancing On Ice will be rested in 2026 with no current plans for another series.’
And after Holly jumped ship from ITV to helm Netflix’s Celebrity Bear Hunt, she was hit by another stroke of bad luck, when the show as also cancelled following just one series, amid claims that it was too expensive to produce and low ratings.
But, she turned then down a lucrative deal to front a new series of the classic game show You Bet! after presenting the first series of ITV show with Stephen Mulhern (seen)
However, after declining the offer for You Bet! to branch out on other projects, Holly was dealt a blow when Dancing On Ice was axed – which she’s presented since 2006 (seen on show last year)
However, having been the darling of TV for several years, she is still in huge demand with a plethora of options open to her as she navigates this tricky stage in her career.
A source previously insisted to Daily Mail that ‘the world is Holly’s oyster’ now her time wasn’t taken up by This Morning, with plenty off opportunities still coming in.
The insider said: ‘She is in demand and now she isn’t shackled to This Morning four days a week, she is able to look at more options, some are global.
‘Celebrity Bear Hunt was a huge thing for her, her first role with Netflix and she just loved it and they loved her so there could very well be much more where that came from.
‘The world is now Holly’s oyster, there are so many opportunities for her.’
And following the news that Dancing On Ice had been axed, a source told Heat that while it ‘hurt her ego’, Holly was ready to reclaim her ITV crown.
They said: ‘Holly is absolutely gutted that Dancing On Ice is over, but sadly, it had run its course. This is a massive blow for her – it’s hurt her ego.
‘However, Holly is picking herself back up, and wants to be the number one ITV girl again. She loved doing Bear Hunt, but she wants to be on prime-time ITV with her own show, rather than sharing the limelight with someone else.
‘Holly wants to focus on fresh ideas. Even though there are no firm plans for her own show at the moment, ITV have said they’re open to suggestions’.
And after Holly jumped ship from ITV to helm Netflix’s Celebrity Bear Hunt, she was hit by another stroke of bad luck, when the show as also cancelled following just one series, amid claims that it was too expensive to produce and low ratings (seen)
While she also has a secret weapon to help her climb back to the top – in the form of her producer husband Dan Baldwin.
Dan – who met met Holly through work in 2004 – owns production company, Hungry Bear Media, the firm behind hit shows such as Gladiators.
Sources close to the pair said how there had been ‘pressure’ on their marriage as Dan continued to flourish professionally during his wife’s break.
But it’s now been reported that the couple are ‘secretly plotting her spectacular TV comeback’, with Holly eyeing up a switch to primetime, leaving behind the daytime schedule she previously thrived in for 14 years.
An insider told The Sun in September: ‘She and Dan both know she has what it takes to go solo in a primetime evening slot, and they plan to make her the biggest female presenter in the UK again. Together, they are a force to be reckoned with.
‘Plans are in early stages, but they are quietly sounding out friends from the TV, film and music industry to get them onboard for a potential new primetime show fronted by Holly.’
The source added that after two decades of fronting television with co-presenters, Holly is ready to go at it alone.
She is also believed to see herself as the next chat show host, such as a female Jonathan Ross or Graham Norton.
While she also has a secret weapon to help her climb back to the top – in the form of her producer husband Dan Baldwin (pictured in 2016 together)
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The mum-of-three has reportedly reached out to her famous pals Emma Bunton, Christine Lampard (pictured) and Fearne Cotton ‘under the radar’ to see if they’d support her solo comeback and for advice
The mum-of-three has reportedly reached out to her famous pals Emma Bunton, Christine Lampard and Fearne Cotton ‘under the radar’ to see if they’d support her solo comeback and for advice.
While it was revealed in the summer, that one possible option for her to return to the spotlight, was hosting the reboot of the classic series Record Breakers, which Dan was working on.
Speaking to The Sun in June, a source said that Holly would be the ‘perfect fit’ for the show, which was said to be in its early stages at the time.
They explained: ‘Record Breakers is likely to be a prime-time hit and it would make perfect sense for Holly to take the reins. She has worked alongside Dan before and the pair know what it takes to make great telly.’
Meanwhile, Holly has also been linked to the revival of Cilla Black’s Blind Date, alongside the likes of Claudia Winkleman and Davina McCall.
Originally, rumours suggested the ITV hit would make a comeback on BBC but now sources claim the love-match show will reboot on Disney+.
In March, Holly was tipped to become the next Cilla, with the presenter lining up a string of big-money deals worth up to £10million.
Once again, the revival was previously being considered by husband Dan, and the star had previously stepped into Cilla’s shoes when she hosted a reboot of Surprise Surprise.
In March, Holly was tipped to become the next Cilla, with the presenter lining up a string of big-money deals worth up to £10million (Cilla Black pictured in 2003)
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And while Celebrity Bear Hunt failed to be the huge comeback that she hoped it would be, Holly is said to have succeeded in impressing bosses at Netflix, with insiders saying they are ‘very keen’ to work with her more on shows (seen in February)
‘There might not sound like obvious parallels between Holly and Cilla, but they’re both two of the biggest stars of modern telly,’ an insider told The Sun at the time.
‘Emulating Cilla isn’t just about taking on her shows, it’s as much about carving out a niche as a solo presenter with serious clout in the world of telly.
‘But together with her husband Dan, they form the ultimate power couple in TV. She has the public appeal that gets viewers tuning in, while he has a track record of making hugely successful TV shows.’
There’s also been reports that Holly is also being eyed up for a new Channel 4 show, tentatively called Secret Singers, which hunts for raw and undiscovered singing talent.
With it tipped to be a ‘hugely popular’ family show, the insider noted that show makers are on the lookout for the ‘perfect host’, with Holly’s current TV break being ‘perfect timing’.
And while Celebrity Bear Hunt failed to be the huge comeback that she hoped it would be, Holly is said to have succeeded in impressing bosses at Netflix, with insiders saying they are ‘very keen’ to work with her more on shows.
It is thought that the streaming giant have been considering the new prospect that one star so heavily associated with a terrestrial channel, could find new success on a global platform.
And at a time when channels such as BBC and ITV are struggling to gain ad revenue, sources say they’d struggle to compete with the guaranteed huge payday that streamers could offer Holly.
Experts say she suffers from a ‘perception problem’ that she needs to address in order to win back the hearts of the public, and rebrand herself to be more warm and friendly like rival presenter Claudia Winkleman (pictured)
Industry experts have agreed that Holly has the potential to make a big comeback, but that she’s currently ‘at a crossroads and needs to make strategic choices’.
Despite her packed-resume and talent, they say she suffers from a ‘perception problem’ that she needs to address in order to win back the hearts of the public.
The careers of rival female presenters such as Claudia, Cat Deeley and Alison Hammond have skyrocketed recently, because their ‘warm and inviting’ personalities appeal to viewers – while experts say Holly’s ‘biggest problem is she’s too guarded’.
Speaking to The Sun, they advised the star needs to rebrand herself by opening up more to fans and lowering her defences, suggesting some sort of documentary.
‘Her image can be fixed if she’s self-aware enough to realise the issue,’ they explained. ‘It may be daunting to put herself out there again after her stalking ordeal, but that’s the only way to win back her fans.
‘If Holly puts some work into making herself more accessible and has a stroke of luck with landing a great show that comes along at the right time, then suddenly she’s back on top.’
Following Claudia and Tess Daly’s announcement that they’re stepping down from Strictly Come Dancing after 11 years, speculation has been rife over who will replace them, with Holly’s name mentioned amongst the frontrunners.
Casino Bets initially put her odds at 2-1 to secure the coveted job, the joint-favourite alongside Zoe Ball and couple Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton.
However, she has seen her standing fall over the past month, with the latest odds last week putting her behind Fleur East, Hannah Waddingham, Janette Manrara and Emma Willis, according to OLBG .
Industry insiders have claimed that Holly would’ve been the number one choice to take over on Strictly a few years ago, but that ‘she’s no longer at the top of the tree’ because she ‘is not a ratings winner’.
They told The Sun that Holly ‘desperately needs’ to find a big hit to boost her career, like Claudia has had with The Traitors, as ‘the time has come to take drastic action or risk being forgotten.’
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