Considered TV’s crème, Holly Willoughby was once a staple at the National Television Awards. Most famously, who could forget the year that she and former sidekick, best pal and This Morning co-host Phillip Schofield fronted the show the next day still wearing their clothes from the night before, following their Daytime Show win at the ceremony?
But six years on, and life is starkly different for Holly, 44, who is currently not attached to a TV show and has seemingly turned her back on that world. In fact, so evident is her step back from showbiz, that she didn’t even attend this year’s NTAs. And sources tell heat why the mum of three skipped the glitzy event, revealing that she had grown tired of ‘faking it’.
‘Holly was nowhere to be seen at the NTAs because truthfully, she doesn’t feel part of that world any more,’ says an insider. ‘She’s been on the red carpet more times than she can count, and she’s enjoying a breather from it all.’
The source continues, ‘It’s bittersweet for her. On one hand, she misses the buzz, the gowns, the cameras, the energy of it all. But on the other, she’s relieved not to have to plaster on a smile and play that game any more. She’s a changed woman and not the same Holly the nation used to know. There’s a sadness there, too, of course. That chapter of her life defined her for so long. But there’s also a huge sense of relief, she feels she can finally breathe easy after years of constant scrutiny.’
Holly had a tumultuous 2023, which saw the friendship and working partnership with Phillip, 63, break down publicly amid his admission of an ‘unwise but not illegal’ affair with a much younger ITV colleague.
Then, just five months later in October 2023, Gavin Plumb was arrested for plotting to kidnap, rape and murder Holly – a heinous crime that landed him a life sentence in July 2024. When news of the plot was made public almost two years ago, the presenter subsequently stepped down from This Morning after 14 years.
While she retained her hosting role on Dancing On Ice, the ITV skating show was axed earlier this year, and her Netflix show Bear Hunt was also shelved after just one season. It was then revealed in March that she would not return to the reboot of You Bet! for its second season.
Meanwhile, This Morning scooped the Best Daytime gong at the NTAs last week – first time in two years. Regular Friday presenter Dermot O’Leary said the accolade means ‘an awful lot, especially to those who have been through the mill’. He added, ‘There is a team who have worked on the show since I started who have had to endure an awful lot of sh*t. Two and a half hours of live telly every day is quite simple, but to do it under the spotlight of being on the front page of the news every day… we aren’t supposed to be on the front page of the news.’
And heat has now learned that Holly – who shares Harry, 16, Belle, 14, and Chester, 10, with producer husband Dan Baldwin - isn’t chomping at the bit to get back on our screens. Our insider says, ‘She’s not rushing back. Holly knows if she’s going to return, it has to be for something really special. Until then, she’s happy watching from the sidelines. People might think she’s plotting some big comeback, but she’s savouring the quiet. If the right opportunity comes along, she’ll be ready, but she’s in no rush.’
And it seems like she is content for her TV producer husband to do the heavy lifting for now.
‘After so many years in the spotlight, Holly’s finally prioritising herself,’ we’re told. ‘She’s putting her energy into feeling good, finding her balance, and just living quietly without the constant glare.’
The source adds, ‘Dan’s landed some huge money deals recently, which has given Holly the freedom to step back. She’s quite content to chill right now, knowing she doesn’t have to hustle for every opportunity like she used to before.