NEWS
Insiders say Holly Willoughby has sworn there’s no going back to her former TV co-host as she pursues a solo career
She’s been thriving ever since her return to TV last month – and insiders say Holly Willoughby is determined to keep her star rising and re-establish herself as the golden girl of TV – but this time, focusing on more solo projects.
A source tells Closer, “Holly’s feeling amazing at the moment – returning to TV was a decision that she spent ages agonising over, but it’s been great and she wants to take on even more now that she’s finally got her confidence back.
CHALLENGES
“She’ll probably carry on doing Dancing On Ice in the future, but the talks she’s having with ITV are about new solo work and shows she can do on her own.”
The past 16 months have seen Holly – who shares children Harry, 14, Belle, 12, and nine-year-old Chester with husband Dan Baldwin – face her biggest hurdles and heartbreaks yet.
Following her “Queuegate” scandal in September 2022 – during which This Morning viewers accused Holly and former co-host Phillip Schofield of using their celebrity status to skip the line at the late Queen’s lying-in-state – Holly’s career spiralled as she was hit by several professional and personal challenges.
In May last year, Holly’s life changed irreversibly when her 17-year friendship with Phil sensationally came to end after he admitted to an “unwise but not illegal” affair with a much younger male colleague.
Their bitter rift played out under the glare of the spotlight as Phil quit the show and became estranged from Holly, who told This Morning viewers that she had been left feeling “shaken, troubled and let down” by the actions of her former best friend.
Holly then quit This Morning six months later, saying she was “making this decision for me and my family”.
But after a three-month hiatus, Holly came back on our screens for Dancing On Ice in January, which she now hosts alongside pal Stephen Mulhern. And while there’s nothing confirmed for when DOI finishes, last month reports claimed Holly has been tipped for the next season of BBC’s remake of Gladiators.
THIRD WHEEL
And insiders say that following her successful TV return, Holly is keen to cement her status as one of the UK’s top presenters on her own.
The source says, “Moving forward, Holly doesn’t want to be part of a double act when presenting. All through her career she’s been known as the third wheel with Ant and Dec or one half of Phil and Holly. Now she wants to front her own projects – she feels she’ll be better off going it alone.”
While
