Holly Willoughby is back on social media and looking radiant in a series of photographs taken to promote her lifestyle brand, Wylde Moon.
© InstagramThe broadcaster had a difficult summer, following a stalking court case and the public breakdown of her friendship with former This Morning co-host Phillip Schofield after his relationship with a younger colleague.
This has understandably resulted in a dialing-back of the 43-year-old broadcaster’s online presence.
Having returned to social media with a splash on Monday, Holly has since shared three official photos via the Wylde Moon account, where she thanked fans for their response to her latest product.
© InstagramThe mum-of-three posed in a dappled garden in a stunning pale pink ballgown, appearing happy and relaxed.
“It’s such a lovely fragrance and my favourite to wear, it’s so different from others. I also have a diffuser in my hallway which is very welcoming,” the star revealed in the caption.
© InstagramFans were quick to praise the star and the perfume, with one commenting: “Love this fragrance, I’m on my 3rd bottle!” Another described the photos as “stunning”.
Holly is set to return to our screens in 2025, as it was confirmed earlier this year that she would be teaming up with Bear Grylls for a new Netflix show, called Bear Hunt, where the former SAS trooper hunts down celebrities to eliminate them from the competition.
At the time, Netflix and Holly shared the news via Instagram, writing: “Introducing Bear Hunt – this new action-packed competition show sees a group of unlikely British celebrities dropped into the Central American jungle as prey for one of the world’s most fearsome predators… @beargrylls! Hosted by @hollywilloughby – coming to Netflix in 2025.”
When did Holly leave This Morning?
Holly left This Morning in October 2023, five months after her co-host Philip Schofield left the show after admitting to lying about an affair with a younger former colleague.
© HGLWhat did she say at the time?
In a statement, Holly wrote: “I have let ITV know today that after 14 years, I will not be returning to This Morning. To everyone who has ever worked on the show over the years, thank you so so much. This is such a difficult goodbye, you are incredible and I forever will be proud of what we’ve done together.”
She continued: “Thank you to everyone at ITV for being supportive. To every guest who has sat on our sofa, thank you. Most of all, thank you to the wonderful viewers. You’ve been so loyal, so supportive and the very best company every day.
© Shutterstock“Richard and Judy said ‘we only look after this show, it will always belong to the viewers’. It’s been an honour to just be part of its story and I know this story has many chapters left to go. Sadly, however, I now feel I have to make this decision for me and my family. I will miss you all so much. Holly.”
© Ken McKay/ITV/ShutterstockWhat has Phillip said since leaving This Morning?
Speaking about returning to his career, he told BBC reporter Amol Rajan: “I have to talk about television in the past tense, which breaks my heart. I have lost everything… What am I going to do with my days? I see nothing ahead of me but blackness, and sadness, and regret, and remorse, and guilt. I did something very wrong, and then I lied about it consistently.”
© Matt Frost/ITV/ShutterstockPhillip also released a statement at the time which read: “I did have a consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague at This Morning. Contrary to speculation, whilst I met the man when he was a teenager and was asked to help him to get into television, it was only after he started to work on the show that it became more than just a friendship. That relationship was unwise, but not illegal. It is now over.
“When I chose to come out I did so entirely for my own wellbeing. Nobody ‘forced’ me out. Neither I nor anyone else, to my knowledge, has ever issued an injunction, super or otherwise, about my relationship with this colleague, he was never moved on or sacked by or because of me.”
© SplashNews.comThe former presenter has made a gradual return to social media since June 2024, with comments limited on the posts.
Holly’s stalker ordeal
In July, Gavin Plumb, a security guard, was charged with plotting to kidnap, rape and murder Holly Willoughby. He was given a life sentence at Chelmsford Crown Court, with a minimum term of 16 years.
Mr. Plumb planned the kidnapping for two years, and was foiled when trying to enlist help to commit the crime online, from someone who turned out to be an undercover detective.
© Eamonn M. McCormackProsecutor Alison Morgan KC said at the sentencing: “My Lord knows of the extreme and gratuitous degradation of the victim that was planned by this defendant. Degradation that was so depraved and vile that they were, by agreement, not reported in detail by representatives of the media.”
She also spoke about the impact the case has had on Holly, stating the ordeal had been “life-changing for the victim… both in private and personal terms and, indeed, professionally. The extent of the shock and fear of this offending has been impossible to convey… it’s investable that [the trial] has exacerbated the trauma for this victim.”
