Holly Willoughby shares her dazzling first Dancing On Ice dress as she hints at nerves ahead of her return to TV: 'Let's do this one sequin at a time'

Holly Willoughby shared her first dress from the Dancing On Ice series as she hinted at her nerves ahead of her first TV appearance on Sunday since quitting This Morning.

The presenter, 42, who co-hosts with Stephen Mulhern, 46, looked stunning in a dazzling dress with silver straps.

Holly took to Instagram an hour before the ITV skating show aired and confidently wrote alongside her photo: 'Let's do this sequin by sequin.'

The blonde beauty looked happy and relaxed before returning to screens after her three-month break.

MailOnline exclusively revealed last month that Holly would return to the show after quitting This Morning following an alleged plot to kidnap and kill her.

Holly co-hosts the series with Stephen, who takes over for Phillip Schofield after he was fired by ITV.

Her fellow industry friends flocked to the comments to complement Holly and wish her support ahead of her return to TV.

Abbey Clancy wrote: 'Shine bright gorgeous'.

Nicola Appleton added: 'There she is!! You look fantastic!! I can't wait!❄️ ⛸️xxx'

On Friday, Holly broke her silence on social media for the first time by posting a photo of the Dancing On Ice script.

Alongside the photo, apparently taken at her home, Holly wrote: “And so it begins…,” alongside an emoji of an ice skate and a smiling face.

The cast gathered for a photocall event earlier this week where they took official photos and took part in interviews, but Holly was not present.

The Mirror subsequently reported this that Holly – who was at the shoot last year – skipped the photocall to focus on rehearsals with her new co-host Stephen.

A source told the publication of this year's event: 'Holly doesn't want any distractions at the moment so she wasn't at the photo shoot.

“And for her, it's more about rehearsals and getting the series off to a good start with a new co-host.

'She puts all her energy into the show. Holly is a true professional and as always she will put her heart and soul into the series with Stephen.”

Although she wasn't at the group photocall, the first official photos of new co-hosts Holly and Stephen have been revealed.

The Mail on Sunday revealed she met Stephen, 46, two weeks earlier to take the photos – just days after making her first public outing since early October, when a former Essex security guard was accused of contacting a hitman in the U.S. to kidnap and kill her.

It is understood she and Stephen did not meet the show's judges, including Olympic gold medalists Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, but instead had their own private shoot in a London studio.

A friend said: 'It was quite an emotional day, it felt like the start of a routine after months of being at home and disconnected from the outside world.

'But Holly has always loved wearing dreamy princess-style dresses on Dancing On Ice, it was always her time to really dress up.'

It was a doubly special reunion with Stephen, ITV's popular and long-serving star presenting the reboot of Deal Or No Deal and Catchphrase, because he was by her side when she got her first big break on TV almost two decades ago.

The pair hosted ITV morning children's shows Ministry Of Mayhem and Holly & Stephen's Saturday Showdown in their 20s and have had an unbreakable bond ever since.

'It really made a difference to Holly's mentality to know that Stephen would be with her all the time. It really made her smile,” the friend added.

'For years Phil was with her and suddenly he was gone. To be working with Stephen again at such a poignant time in her career is special for Holly.

'Whether returning to Dancing On Ice was a dilemma for Holly, some gentle persuasion from Stephen certainly helped seal the deal.'

On Sunday at 6.30pm, Holly will co-host the program – which includes Love Island's Amber Davies, Eddie 'the Eagle' Edwards and former Brookside actress Claire Sweeney, from ITV's studio at the old RAF base in Bovingdon, Hertfordshire.