How Holly Willoughby was FINALLY persuaded to return to Dancing On Ice after being ‘too terrified to leave her house’ following alleged kidnap and murder plot
She has been too terrified to leave her house for weeks following an alleged kidnap and murder plot.
But after weeks of deliberating, Holly Willoughby was finally persuaded to return to host Dancing On Ice when it returns on January 14 on ITV1.
So what finally made Holly feel safe enough to return to the show?
MailOnline can reveal that Holly, 42, was visited at her home by Catchphrase host Stephen Mulhern, 48, who will be co-hosting the show with her.
ITV sources say the pair have known one another for many years and knowing he would hosting the show made her feel less anxious about making a television comeback.
How Holly Willoughby was FINALLY persuaded to return to Dancing On Ice after being ‘too terrified to leave her house’ following alleged kidnap and murder plot (pictured in January)
It emerged that Holly’s new co-host Stephen Mulhern will co-host the show with her – he went round to visit her home while she was too terrified to go out and made her feel less anxious about making a television comeback
Holly and Stephen have been friends for years – they looked almost unrecognisable in a Ministry of Mayhem throwback snap taken 18 years ago shared on Twitter by ITV
The pair hosted ITV children’s programme Ministry of Mayhem together 20 years ago.
One told the Mail: ‘Holly didn’t go out in public until last week so it was impossible to meet with anyone unless they went to her. She has been terrified.
‘So Stephen went round to see her where they talked it all through. She then started to veer towards doing the show. Stephen is so excited.
‘They pretty much started together so it is really quite special that two decades later he is at Holly’s side after what has been such a difficult time.’
Holly’s planned retun to live television after agreeing to host Dancing On Ice, was revealed by MailOnline on Thursday morning.
After weeks of deliberating over whether to present the ITV skating show, she signed the deal over Christmas and is said to be ‘excited’ about to getting back to work on the show that she hosted with her former friend Phillip Schofield for many years.
Sources at ITV say the channel’s bosses are ‘delighted’ that she will join Stephen for the series, which will begin almost three months after she learned of an alleged plot to kidnap and murder her by former security guard Gavin Plumb.
An ITV insider told MailOnline: ‘Holly is a star and everyone was so very much hoping that she would decide to come back.
‘After many discussions and a lot of thought, she thought that getting some normality into her life would be a good thing.
‘There are obvious worries about going on live television, her main priority is her family, ITV have been hugely understanding and have not put any pressure on her at all.
‘They wanted to give her all of the time she needed but it has been a rough decision for her.
‘Time was ticking but the bosses were trying to remain calm.’
Ms Willoughby has always looked forward to January because it was her chance to get dolled up in fairytale dresses to host the show alongside her former This Morning co-star and friend Schofield, whom she adored so much.
‘As soon as Christmas went, Holly would get giddy about Dancing On Ice,’ says a friend of the star.
Katie Rawcliffe, head of entertainment commissioning at ITV, said: ‘Holly and Stephen are two of our best loved presenters, so reuniting them 20 years after they first appeared on screen together to host Dancing On Ice marks the start of an exciting year for the show.’
ITV also shared a post to Instagram which read: ‘Dancing On Ice news 20 years since they first worked together, Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern join forces for the greatest show on ice.’
Last week, Ms Willoughby enjoyed her first trip out in public since she quit This Morning in October.
She put on a brave face to join her family for a Christmas lunch in South West London months of being too frightened to leave her home.
ITV shared a post confirming that Holly and Stephen will be the new presenting team on Dancing On Ice
After weeks of deliberating over whether to present the ITV skating show, the presenter signed the deal over Christmas and is said to be ‘excited’ about to getting back to work on the show, (pictured with Phillip Schofield in a still from the last series)
ITV bosses are ‘delighted’ Holly is set to return to the show when it begins on January 14, over two months after her last TV appearance (pictured)
Holly stepped down from This Morning in October (pictured in September 2023) after finally being ‘tipped over the edge’ by an alleged ‘kidnap and murder plot’
While the star didn’t crack a smile, those close to her say that she is ‘feeling better as each day goes by’.
One friend told MailOnline: ‘For some time Holly hasn’t wanted to go to a restaurant or anywhere other people will see her, she has stuck to private places but little by little she is starting to get her life back.
Ms Willoughby’s retreat from the limelight extends beyond her TV roles. She has even put her commitments with Marks & Spencer and L’Oreal on hold because she wants to be at home with her three young children.
Mulhern, who hosts ITV game shows Catchphrase and Deal Or No Deal, is a close friend of Holly and signed a deal to host Dancing On Ice Iast week after agreeing to step into Schofield’s shoes.
ITV did not have a stand-in for Ms Willoughby waiting in the wings, however, meaning that all hopes were pinned on her.
Setting the stage for Holly’s re-emergence as ITV’s golden girl, viewers saw her make a brief return to This Morning in a highlights episode that aired on Wednesday.
She was back on ITV1 for the first time since stepping down as This Morning aired a festive compilation of clips from the last 12 months, including one with Willoughby that was originally shown in July.
Setting the stage for Holly’s return as ITV’s golden girl, viewers saw her make a brief return to This Morning in a highlights episode that aired on Wednesday
Seated alongside co-host Craig Doyle on the show’s famous sofa, the presenter was on hand to interview Hollywood star Idina Menzel about her iconic role as Elsa in animated Disney classic Frozen.
Holly then stunned viewers once again on Thursday after returning to the show for an interview with Miriam Margolyes, in a pre-recorded segment.
In the hilarious clip, This Morning was thrown into chaos as guest Miriam discussed ‘steaming her vagina’ and her sex life, while she also swore twice live on the show.
During the appearance, to promote her latest memoir, Miriam said: ‘I’m grateful, I can’t walk I fart all the time but I’m still going!’
Holly and Phillip, 61, had co-hosted Dancing On Ice from its inception in 2006 until 2011.
Christine Lampard then replaced Holly for the next three series until the show ended in 2014.
The series was then revived by ITV in 2018, with both Holly and Phillip returning as hosts up until this year.
Phillip was then fired by ITV after he admitted to lying about a romantic relationship he had with a former younger colleague, immediately ending his contract at This Morning.
Stephen Mulhern emerged as the frontrunner to take over from Phillip, after presenting spinoff series Defrosted for a year back in 2006 and standing in for Phillip when he fell ill with Covid last year.
The TV presenter confirmed in October that he was in talks with bosses to join as co-host after Phillip’s departure.
Stephen told MailOnline that it would be ‘amazing’ to front the show and that co-hosting alongside longtime friend and colleague Holly always makes for a ‘great time’.
He said: ‘I used to do the spinoff show Defrosted and when I stood in for Phil when he wasn’t too well, he had Covid, I really enjoyed it and it was so lovely being back with Holly.
‘We had a great time together plus lots of the team were the same from when I did the ITV2 show.
‘We are talking about it, but I promise you now that nothing is confirmed but if it happens, it will be absolutely amazing… if it doesn’t, look, it doesn’t. I promise you I would tell you if we had it confirmed at this point.
‘The lineup is the best it has been in a few years… I am keeping across the lineup, just in case… It is a huge staple, and it has been around.’
Holly’s future on the show had been thrown into doubt after she stepped down from This Morning after finally being ‘tipped over the edge’ by an alleged ‘kidnap and murder plot’.
Her exit came after her longtime presenter partner Phillip Schofield was fired by ITV after he admitted to lying about a romantic relationship he had with a former younger colleague
The mother-of-three, who originally joined This Morning in 2009, released a statement saying she was leaving the show ‘for the sake of her family’.
Gavin Plumb, 36, has pleaded not guilty to charges of soliciting murder and incitement to commit kidnap the former This Morning host. The security guard will remain behind bars after being denied bail.
During a short hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court, Plumb, from Harlow, Essex, who was not present, was refused a bail application.
He has a trial date fixed for June 24 next year.
The criminal proceedings were said to have left Holly – once the golden girl of British television – in limbo.
Willoughby has also paused her £1million deal with Marks & Spencer because she remains fearful for her safety.
She has fronted collections for the high street chain since 2018 but told bosses that she needs to take time out from the contract while she comes to terms with her terror over the case.
Willoughby usually fronts several ‘capsule’ collections per year and also offers fashion tips to shoppers on the store’s website.
The presenter has also frozen her seven-figure deal with L’Oreal, as the face of its Garnier Nutrisse hair dye. She has not taken part in any promotional activity with the brand.
It is not known whether she has forgone any income from the contracts.
Stars preparing to take on the ice challenge this year include former Love Island winner and West End performer Amber Davies, ex-professional boxer Ricky Hatton, actress Claire Sweeney, Corrie star Ryan Thomas, radio DJ Adele Roberts, and S Club 7 singer Hannah Spearritt.
EastEnders actor Ricky Norwood, Made In Chelsea star Miles Nazaire, Olympian Greg Rutherford, ski jumper Eddie the Eagle, comedian Lou Sanders and Emmerdale’s Roxy Shahidi complete the lineup.
Holly Willoughby’s year from hell
Queuegate
Holly and Phillip came under fire in 2022 when they were accused of having ‘VIP access’ to skip the queue and file past the Queen lying in state
Holly and Phillip came under fire in 2022 when they were accused of having ‘VIP access’ to skip the queue and file past the Queen lying in state. Which the stars and ITV both denied.
Following the death of the monarch, Holly and Phillip attended the lying in state and claimed they were there to film for work purposes.
However because no footage from the day was aired, critics accused them of queue jumping in front of mourners who had waited hours for their moment to honour the late Queen Elizabeth II.
According to reports earlier this year, Holly was ‘devastated’ by the public reception and the broadcaster’s ‘decision to remain silent.’
In September, This Morning bosses denied show hosts Holly and Phillip had ‘VIP access’ and filed ‘past the Queen lying in state’ as they filmed a segment for the programme at Westminster Hall in London.
Despite the support from the broadcaster, there is no denying that public perception towards the pair had soured due to the events that unfolded.
Things were also strained between Phillip and Holly, with studio insiders claiming that the atmosphere was ‘awful’ and there relationship was ‘extremely awkward’.
The programme received more than 400 Ofcom complaints from viewers over the scandal. A petition on Change.org to get Phillip and co-host Holly axed from This Morning following the scandal reached almost 79,000 signatures.
Booed at the NTAS
Holly and Phil were booed as they accepted Best Daytime at the National Television Awards in the aftermath of the ‘queuegate’ scandal
Holly and Phil were booed as they accepted the Best Daytime Award at the National Television Awards 2022 in the aftermath of the ‘queuegate’ scandal.
Despite the criticism the broadcasters received, which some said was so severe it was impacting their mental health, This Morning still took home the Daytime gong.
While he did not address the controversy, Phillip said the award means ‘so much to us every year, especially this year’.
The widespread backlash sparked concerns for their mental wellbeing, particularly after it was revealed Schofield would not return to his lucrative We Buy Any Car deal.
Phillip Schofield feud
Phillip Schofield stepped down from This Morning in May after confessing he had a relationship with a much younger man who worked with him on the show
Phillip made a bombshell confession to the Mail that he had a relationship with a much younger man who worked with him on This Morning while still married to wife Stephanie Lowe.
Holly was at the centre of the fallout from Phillip’s affair as critics questioned whether she knew of her co-star’s ‘deceit’ or if she too was hoodwinked by the presenter. She later confirmed she was in the dark over the affair.
Phillip further confessed that he lied to his employer ITV, to his colleagues, his friends and his agents at the management firm YMU.
Holly slammed her former ‘bestie’ following the revelations of his affair – and friends have said it was ‘traumatic’ for her to discover his dishonesty.
Holly said in a brief statement that she asked him directly if the news was true and that it had been ‘very hurtful to now find out that this was a lie’.
Sources close to the presenter said it had been a ‘traumatic’ revelation for the This Morning host and a ‘time of real sadness’ as Phillip ‘was her very close friend’.
Holly took an extended half term break while dealing with the revelations and returned to the This Morning sofa on June 5.
A tearful Holly returned to This Morning and immediately put the boot into Phillip. Beginning her speech with ‘are you ok?’, in a widely-mocked monologue.
Holly admitted she felt ‘shaken, troubled’ and ‘let down’ after her disgraced former co-host lied to her and ITV colleagues.
Phillip said he ‘didn’t tell anybody’ about his affair with his former This Morning colleague, confirming in an interview with the BBC that Holly ‘did not know’.
NTAs snub
Holly was snubbed from the TV presenter category for the second year in a row at the National Television Awards after the affair furore.
Holly and Phil had been longlisted for the best TV presenter prize, alongside fellow This Morning hosts Alison Hammond, Dermot O’Leary, Rylan Clark and Martin Lewis, but only Alison and Martin made the cut.
However, This Morning was nominated for best daytime show despite the affair scandal but later lost out to The Repair Shop.
Holly, who hosted alongside Phillip from 2009 onwards, continued to present the show with a series of co-stars, while MPs called on ITV bosses to address claims of toxicity and bullying behind the scenes.
Kidnap and murder plot
Holly exited in October This Morning after a former Pizza Hut worker was remanded in custody charged over an alleged plot to kidnap and murder her
Holly then exited This Morning after a former Pizza Hut worker was remanded in custody charged over an alleged plot to kidnap and murder her.
Gavin Plumb, 36, from Harlow, Essex, is accused of offences including soliciting to commit murder and incitement to commit kidnap in relation to the broadcaster, allegedly contacting a hitman in the U.S. and booking him flights.
He has since plead guilty and will stand trial in June.
Insiders told MailOnline that the alleged plot pushed Holly to quit, throwing the show into chaos.
This Morning had due to be relaunched in January with Holly and a new host, sources say. Good Morning Britain’s Ben Shephard was reportedly the favourite to replace Phillip.
The TV presenter pulled out of hosting This Morning and her London home was reportedly being guarded by police after Plumb was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of conspiracy to kidnap.
Holly’s full statement said: ‘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.
‘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.
‘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 it’s 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.’