She’s made tentative steps back into the spotlight over the past year, ever since stepping away from the job she loved presenting This Morning last October. But throughout it all, Holly Willoughby’s priority has been her family, following a tumultuous period that saw her career upended and her life threatened by a terrifying kidnap and murder plot.
The TV presenter has taken her time to regroup and get her head together, culminating in a healing summer with husband Dan Baldwin and their kids, Harry, 14, Belle, 12, and Chester, eight. But ITV confirmed earlier this month that Holly would be returning to our screens again this autumn for a reboot of the beloved game show You Bet! alongside her old friend Stephen Mulhern.
This isn’t the first time Holly’s been back on TV since quitting This Morning last year – she continued as co-host of Dancing On Ice in January, and filmed the upcoming Netflix series Bear Hunt alongside survival expert Bear Grylls in May.
Still, it’s a big deal for the 43 year old to be stepping back into the spotlight in such a visible way, and – unsurprisingly – sources say Holly is conflicted. On one hand, she’s defiant and refusing to hide away any longer, sacrificing the career she’s worked so hard for because of the shocking threat to her life. But there’s also a growing sense of panic that she could make herself and her family vulnerable again.
And, having had such a stress-free summer, we’re told she’s anxious about how she’ll handle the change of pace once she’s back in spotlight.
"Holly has had a brilliant few months. She’s just been focusing on relaxing and being with Dan and the children, and they’ve enjoyed every moment together," says a source close to the presenter, who in previous years would have been prepping for her and former co-presenter Phillip Schofield’s return to This Morning at this point, following their annual summer break.
"After the madness of everything that’s happened over the last year, it was just what she needed – but there’s also a part of her which is now really itching to get back to work and doing what she loves most, which is making TV shows. She’s a bit anxious about stepping back into the limelight, but that’s only natural, and she’s got a lot of good people around her who have been helping massively and reassuring her that everything will be OK."
The past 12 months have been a harrowing time for the star. After her longtime co-host Phillip resigned from This Morning in May 2023 following an ‘unwise but not illegal’ affair with a much-younger colleague, Holly returned to the sofa that September with a number of guest presenters. But she was left stunned and terrified in October, when it emerged she was the target of a kidnap and murder plot.
After that, she quit the show for the safety of her family. In July, Gavin Plumb, a convicted stalker who had been ‘obsessed’ with Holly for years, was found guilty of the horrific plan and sentenced to life in prison, prompting Holly to tell followers, "As women, we should not be made to feel unsafe going about our daily lives and in our homes," before thanking authorities for their "swift response".
Clearly, Holly – who, despite also running lifestyle brand Wylde Moon, has always called presenting her dream career – is no longer willing to be frightened of going about her daily life, nor doing the job she loves most. And, although her priority will always be as a mother and wife, as our source explains, being in front of the cameras is second nature to her, and she refuses to hide away.
We’re told that, however nervous she may feel about stepping back into the limelight, she’s equally anxious about jeopardising the career she’s worked so hard for. So, she’s remembering the lessons she’s learned about work/life balance, and taking that knowledge with her.
"The routine of working on a TV show, and all the fun that goes with it, was definitely something Holly started to miss – she needs that buzz," says our source.
"She’s been doing it from a very young age, so it’s second nature to her, and it’s what she loves doing more than anything else. Emotionally, Holly feels ready for this big TV comeback. She’s got You Bet! coming up, and there are lots of other projects being discussed, which she’s really excited about. She’s determined to embrace all the opportunities that are now presenting themselves, and – while she’s been through hell – she has no intention of letting what has happened keep her hidden away."
And with You Bet! slated to hit our screens with two 75-minute specials in autumn, Holly’s now focused on getting herself into the best place emotionally and mentally ahead of her big comeback.
We’re betting that, when she does return, it will be worth the wait.