After a tough year, Holly Willoughby is said to be taking her career in a new direction, and hubby Dan is on board with the move away from mainstream TV
Kenzi Devine
Six months after stepping down from This Morning, Holly Willoughby is making an effort to overhaul her career with the support of husband Dan Baldwin. And she’s already put the wheels in motion by signing up to host Netflix show Bear Huntwith Bear Grylls.
It’s a far cry from her usual daytime TV image – and a source tells us it’s part of a “marriage pact” to distance herself from the sort of jobs she’s typically known for.
While Dan, who produced the recent reboot of Gladiators, has hinted at a new version of classic dating series Blind Date, he has touted Claudia Winkleman as a potential host, rather than his wife. And according to the source, this is a deliberate move to show “a different side” to Holly, 43.
“When Holly’s husband Dan admitted he wants to do a Blind Dateremake, everyone thought it would be Holly fronting the show. But the fact that he has eyed up Claudia Winkleman for it just goes to show that Holly is really trying to distance herself from the TV she’s been associated with for so long,” the source said.
Discussing a possible Blind Datereturn, Dan, 48, recently said, “As well as coming up with new ideas, we’ve always got one eye on what could come back and what could be a hit like Gladiatorsis. “Another one that you’d like to see back, Blind Date, are we ready for that? What a Saturday night that was. I’m thinking Blind Date with Claudia Winkleman on BBC One. How about it?”
His comments appear to show that Dan and Holly are making a conscious effort to highlight her new career focus.
The source claimed, “In the past, she’d have jumped at the chance to do an iconic TV show like that. Dan knows she would be perfect, but they have decided that she needs to take a step away from the mainstream shows for a bit and concentrate on her re-brand. It’s their marriage pact.”
And as part of her fresh start, Holly is set to host Bear Hunt – the reality show in which celebrities will be “hunted” in a Central American jungle.
The source added that moving away from British broadcasters to international platform Netflix also broadens Holly’s scope.
“This year is all about showing off a different side to her and attracting a bigger worldwide fanbase, rather than just the UK. Her new Netflix show has proven her ambition
