Is Holly Willoughby gearing up to leave Phillip Schofield?

The king and queen of daytime TV are facing rumours they could split

Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield

by Charlotte Oliver |
Published on

She’s been his loyal work wife and trusted companion for 11 years and counting. But last week, Holly Willoughby sent speculation soaring that she was preparing to quit her TV partnership with Phillip Schofield and relaunch her solo career, after she left the showbiz agency they both belonged to.

According to insiders, Holly’s decision to walk away from the YMU Group and represent herself could mark the beginning of a brand-new direction for the 39 year old. Although she loves working with Phil on This Morning, we’re told she wants to keep her options open for the future.

Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield
©Getty

“Holly loves her job, but knows it might not be forever,” says an insider close to the TV presenter, who replaced Fern Britton as Phil’s co-host in 2009, and also shares the stage with him on Dancing On Ice. “She’s proven that she’s capable of going solo, and she’s wondering if it could be time to shake off the tag of being Phil’s TV wife.

“It’s nothing to do with Phil, but her friends think she could be doing even bigger and better things if she freed up her schedule and got involved with something edgier. She hasn’t made any firm plans yet, but leaving the management company she’s been with her whole career is a huge change for her.”

Check out: Holly Willoughby's career in pictures

Gallery

Holly Willoughby career timeline stacked

Holly Willoughby career timeline1 of 19
CREDIT: u00a9 19 Television

2000: S Club TV

Back when Tina was doing her dance, and Jon was looking for romance, Holly was doing a pretty impressive job as a stand in member of S Club 7 for their TV movie S Club 7: Artistic Differences. In the children's comedy, the band split when artistic differences tore them apart (Paul heading off to start a rival band, Rachel leaving to get married) – but Holly helped keep the peace as a character named Zoe.

Holly Willoughby career timeline2 of 19
CREDIT: u00a9 Getty Images

2004: Holly & Stephen’s Saturday Showdown AKA Ministry of Mayhem

Originally called Ministry of Mayhem, Holly and Stephen's Saturday Showdown was a mad cap CiTV game show that saw the show hosts camp it up as housemates that welcomed boys and girls teams in to their living room for an assortment of competitions.It is also the setting where Holly met her future husband, Dan Baldwin (they tied the knot in 2007 and have three children), and gave co-host Stephen Mulhern a platform to show off his magic skills. Fancy!

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CREDIT: u00a9 Getty Images

2005: CD:UK

Now we're not saying Cat Deeley can be replaced... but Holly was a pretty great successor to the fellow 40-year-old TV host. Holly helped many a hungover adult get through Saturday morning's by presenting the children's music chart show.

Holly Willoughby career timeline4 of 19
CREDIT: u00a9 ITV

2006: Dancing on Ice

A glimpse of what was to come – Holly was paired with hosting icon Philip Schofield on the ice skating dance show that saw celebrities compete on skates under the tutelage of Olympic legends Torvill and Dean. Holly and Phil's warm chemistry was a hit with fan – pulling in over 12 million viewers at the show's peak.

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CREDIT: u00a9 ITV2

2008: Xtra Factor

After Fearne Cotton but before Konnie Huq, Holly hosted The X Factor spin off show the year that music fans were thrilled by the likes of Alexandra Burke, JLS and Diana Vickers. The star arguably co-hosted with her first son, Harry, as she was pregnant with him while the show aired in 2008 – with her first baby arriving in May the following year. She returned to host again for series six – which was when Joe McElderry won.

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CREDIT: u00a9 ITV2

2009: Celebrity Juice

The mad cap mayhem of presenting children's television shows was probably a good training ground for Holly to deal with the juvenile antics of Keith Lemon (aka Avid Merrion). Holly serves as a team captain on the bonkers late night game show with best friend Fearne Cotton championing her opposing team. The trio were a hit with viewers, until Fearne announced her departure from the show in December 2018.

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CREDIT: u00a9 ITV

2009: This Morning

As well as delighting late night viewers, 2009 saw Holly enter the weekday TV format as she started hosting This Morning with Philip Schofield after the departure of Fern Britton. Fans of the pair have seen their friendship blossom on-screen as they still present together to this day – and have helped the magazine entertainment show scoop NTA, TRIC, TV Choice, and Freesat Awards along the way.

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CREDIT: u00a9 BBC

2012: The Voice UK

Holly and Reggie Yates were the face of The Voice when it first launched in the UK on the BBC back in 2012. The duo held the show together for the first two years and worked alongside show coaches Sir Tom Jones, will.i.am, Jessie J and Danny O'Donoghue as they found champions Leanne Mitchell in 2012 and Andrea Begley in 2013.

Holly Willoughby career timeline9 of 19
CREDIT: u00a9 ITV

2012: Surprise Surprise

When the long-running show was resurrected in 2012, Holly seemed like the natural choice to fill the shoes of Cilla Black. With her approachable demeanour and warm personality, Holly shone as she fronts the light entertainment show as members of the public have dreams made true.

Holly Willoughby career timeline10 of 19
CREDIT: u00a9 ITV

2016: Meet the Parents

Proving herself as one of the hardest working women in showbiz, Holly doesn't slow down when the weekend arrives despite hosting This Morning four days per week. The hostess has most recently been helping singletons find love on the ITV dating show that sees parents vet prospective dates for their children.

Holly Willoughby career timeline11 of 19
CREDIT: u00a9 ITV

2018: Coronation Street

In 2018, Holly had a cameo in beloved ITV soap Coronation Street, along with her co-host Phillip Schofield. The pair interviewed the characters of Rosie Webster, Craig Tinker and Gemma Winter as part of Rosie's exit storyline.

Holly Willoughby career timeline12 of 19
CREDIT: u00a9 ITV

2018: I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!

When Ant McPartlin announced he would be stepping down from all TV duties to focus on his addiction recovery, Holly was the first choice by Declan Donnelly to replace him. She was a HUGE hit with viewers - and many even called for her to have a full-time role on the show in the future.

HOLLY AND Phillip Schofield13 of 19
CREDIT: u00a9 ITV

2019-2020: Dancing On Ice

As well as presenting This Morning Monday-Thursday with Phillip Schofield, Holly also returned to the ice when Dancing On Ice made a comeback in 2019. Both Holly and Phillip then returned for the 2020 series, which ended in March.

Holly Willoughby's book Reflections14 of 19
CREDIT: hollywilloughby u00a9 Instagram

2021: Reflections

In early April 2021, Holly revealed that she would be taking an extra week off from This Morning to work on a secret project, with Rochelle Humes keeping her side of the sofa warm. A week later, the star announced that the secret project was in fact a brand new book, called Reflections, set to be released in October.

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CREDIT: u00a9 BBC Pictures

2021: Take Off

Holly joined forces with Bradley Walsh in July 2021 to host BBC game show Take Off, with the pair trying to make people's holiday dreams come true.

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CREDIT: u00a9 hollywilloughby Instagram

2021: WYLDE MOON

In September 2021, Holly announced that she is embarking on a brand new career project as she launched WYLDE MOON. Holly described WYLDE MOON as 'a space full of things that I love and people that inspire me... from beauty and fashion, to energy and healing.' She also said: 'In creating WYLDE MOON for you, I've filled a need in me. I'd lost a part of who I was and that rediscovery has led me here, to a whole new place of beauty and power'.

Holly Willoughby perfume17 of 19
CREDIT: u00a9 hollywilloughby Instagram

2022: (borrowed from) The Wild perfume

On 8th February 2022, Holly revealed that her first perfume (borrowed from) The Wild had officially been released! Admitting that she has been wearing the perfume since the day she got the scent, Holly revealed (borrowed from) The Wild 'enlivens the senses with notes of Bergamot, Geranium, Blackcurrant, Jasmine, Rose and Mint.'

Freeze The Fear18 of 19
CREDIT: u00a9 BBC Pictures

2022: Freeze The Fear

Holly was absent on This Morning for a number of weeks at the start of 2022 so she could take part in BBC reality show Freeze the Fear with Wim Hof. Holly took part alongside the likes of Lee Mack, Tamzin Outhwaite and Gabby Logan, as the celebs embarked on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure in the Italian mountains in sub-zero conditions.

The Games19 of 19
CREDIT: u00a9 ITV Pictures

2022: The Games

Holly hosted ITV's revival of The Games in May 2022, which involved 12 celebrities taking part in Olympic Game style activities to be crowned the winner!Holly hosted the show alongside former England cricketer Freddie Flintoff.

Fans online also questioned whether she could be leaving, with one asking, “Is this the end for her and Phil?”, while another said, “I bet she’ll quit This Morning soon.”

Holly hasn’t yet spoken publicly about her career move, but insiders say the fact that she hasn’t just swapped management, but has set up her own new company, Roxy Management, says a lot – we’re told she’s keen to take the reins of her career once and for all.

In February, she dedicated herself to supporting Phil, 58, who came out live on TV. But apparently lockdown has given her the chance to reconsider where she wants her career to go, and she’s been reassessing what she’d like to do, including some radio presenting.

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But sources say This Morning remains her number one priority. We’re told, “She’s still committed to This Morning, and is looking forward to returning in September.”

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