Holly Willoughby

English television presenter, model and author (born 1981)

Holly Willoughby

Willoughby in 2013

Born|

Holly Marie Willoughby

(1981-02-10) 10 February 1981 (age 43)

Brighton, East Sussex, England

Education|

* Burgess Hill Girls
* The College of Richard Collyer

Occupations|

* Television presenter
* author
* model

Years active| 2000–present
Employer(s)| ITV
BBC
Spouse|

Dan Baldwin

(m. 2007)​

Children| 3
Website| officialhollywilloughby.com

Holly Marie Willoughby (/ˈwɪləbi/ WIL-ə-bee; born 10 February 1981)[1][2] is an British television presenter, author and model. She has presented various television shows for ITV, including This Morning (2009–2023) and Dancing on Ice (2006–2011, 2018–present).

From 2008 to 2020, Willoughby was a team captain on the ITV2 comedy panel show Celebrity Juice. Her other television work includes The Xtra Factor (2008–2009), Text Santa (2011–2013, 2015), The Voice UK (2012–2013), Surprise Surprise (2012–2015), Play to the Whistle (2015–2017), I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! (2018), Freeze the Fear with Wim Hof (2022), and The Games (2022).[3]

## Early life[edit]

Willoughby was born in Brighton, East Sussex,[4] the younger of two daughters of Brian Willoughby, a sales manager of a double-glazing company, and Linda Willoughby (née Fleming), a former air stewardess.[5] She was educated at the independent Burgess Hill Girls in the town of Burgess Hill in West Sussex, and The College of Richard Collyer in Horsham.[4]

In 1995, at the age of 14, Willoughby was spotted by talent scouts at The Clothes Show Live exhibition and signed with the model agency, Storm Management.[6] She appeared in teen magazines for girls such as Mizz, Just Seventeen, Shout, and More!.[citation needed] From 1998, at the age of 17, Willoughby started modelling bras, underwear and tights for clients including Pretty Polly, appearing in advertisements and posters.[citation needed]

## Career[edit]

### 2000–2005: Children's presenting[edit]

In 2000, Willoughby won an audition for a show on CITV featuring S Club 7 called S Club TV.[7] In this show actors represented an alternative S Club.[8] She also appeared in a show called S Club 7: Artistic Differences playing a character called Zoe with the regular members of the band.[9] Willoughby worked as a receptionist for a while and then as a runner for the defunct shopping channel Auction World TV.

Willoughby also took on menial jobs and started an Open University course in psychotherapy. Then eventually, she found work as assistant manager during which time she persuaded a friend to make a showreel of her. This secured her an agent who then contacted the BBC.[7] Later in 2002, Willoughby presented a factual entertainment programme for children called Xchange and went on to host several other children's shows for CBBC: X-perimental and CBBC at the Fame Academy (CBBC's version of the BBC talent show Fame Academy).

Willoughby's first role as a children's entertainer came when she rejoined CITV in 2004 to co-present the entertainment show Ministry of Mayhem which aired on Saturday mornings. On this programme she met her future husband Dan Baldwin, one of the show's producers. In 2006, the show's title was changed to Holly & Stephen's Saturday Showdown in order to reflect the popularity of its co-presenters, Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern.

In 2005, Willoughby presented Feel the Fear, a children's entertainment programme in which the presenters are set unnerving challenges. She has also had a number of minor appearances on other children's programmes. Willoughby presented CD:UK for a short while in the spring of 2005, replacing Cat Deeley before Myleene Klass, Lauren Laverne and Johny Pitts became the regular presenters. In recognition of work as a children's television presenter, Willoughby won a BAFTA Children's Award in 2006.[10]

### 2006–2008[edit]

Willoughby at the premiere of Happy Feet in 2006

In 2006, she was chosen to co-present, with Phillip Schofield, the television show Dancing on Ice,[11] in which celebrities are partnered with professional dancers to learn ice-dancing routines which are judged by a panel of experts and voted on by audiences. Willoughby remained in the role until 2011 due to new commitments. She was replaced by Christine Lampard.[12][13]

Willoughby has presented a number of other ITV programmes, including spin-off shows such as Celebrity Wrestling: Bring It On in 2005, Greased Lightnin' in 2007, and The Xtra Factor for two years in 2008 and 2009.

In 2007, she took over from Davina McCall as the presenter of Streetmate, a dating game show during its transition from Channel 4 to ITV2. Willoughby hosted the show for its final series. In the same year, Willoughby co-presented Holly & Fearne Go Dating with Fearne Cotton. The show saw the two hosts attempt to find dates for single people that they meet around the UK.

Since 2008, Willoughby appeared as a team captain on Celebrity Juice, presenting series 1–11 and 13–23 (taking a break in series 12 due to maternity leave).[14] She left the show after 12 years in May 2020.[15]

### 2009–present[edit]

Willoughby on the set of This Morning in 2013, a programme she co-presented between 2009 and 2023

Willoughby began co-presenting ITV's This Morning with Phillip Schofield in September 2009 until his departure in May 2023, replacing Fern Britton.[16] Willoughby presented the programme from Monday to Thursday mornings until her departure in October 2023.

In 2011, Willoughby co-presented charity telethon Text Santa with Ant & Dec. She returned to co-host the show with Phillip Schofield in 2012, 2013 and 2015.[17] On 24 March 2012, Willoughby began presenting The Voice UK with Reggie Yates. She decided to leave the show after the second series and was replaced by Emma Willis in 2014.[18] In 2012, Willoughby began hosting a revived version of Surprise Surprise.[19] A second series began airing on 15 September 2013, a third on 22 October 2014 and a fourth on 21 June 2015. In 2015, Willoughby presented the sports-based panel show Play to the Whistle on ITV. The first series aired for seven episodes beginning on 11 April 2015. A second series aired for six episodes, beginning in April 2016[20] and a third series aired in 2017.[21] In 2016, Willoughby presented primetime Saturday night dating show Meet the Parents for ITV. The show has been compared to Blind Date.[22] In August 2018, it was announced that Willoughby would host the eighteenth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! alongside Declan Donnelly as his usual partner Anthony McPartlin took a year-long break.[3]

Willoughby has written a series of children's books with her sister Kelly. Their debut book School for Stars: First Term at L'Etoile became the UK's highest-selling children's book of 2013.[23]

In August 2017, it was reported Willoughby had received a £200,000 pay rise to match the salary of her co-host Phillip Schofield.[24] She returned to present the new series of Dancing on Ice with Schofield in January 2018.[25] Willoughby is a brand ambassador for Marks & Spencer and Garnier,[26][27] and a former ambassador for Diet Coke in the UK.[28][29] In September 2021, Willoughby founded a wellness and lifestyle brand and company called Wylde Moon.[30]

On 17 September 2022, Willoughby and Phillip Schofield drew criticism for not joining The Queue with the public, when filming for This Morning at the lying in state of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall.[31] ITV said that they were escorted from the press gallery by government staff, and did not file past the Queen's coffin. Social media users contrasted this against the actions of other celebrities such as David Beckham[32] and Susanna Reid,[33] who queued for many hours with members of the general public.

On 10 October 2023, Willoughby quit This Morning.[34]

In 2025, Willoughby will present the upcoming Netflix reality competition series Bear Hunt, starring Bear Grylls.[35]

## Personal life[edit]

Willoughby is dyslexic.[36]

Her sister, Kelly, also works in the television industry.[37]

On 4 August 2007, Willoughby married Dan Baldwin, co-founder of Hungry Bear Media and a former producer on Ministry of Mayhem and later executive producer on Celebrity Juice. They live in Barnes, London[38] and have two sons and a daughter.[39]

In 2008, Willoughby became a patron of the charity Together for Short Lives.[40]

### Alleged murder plot[edit]

On 4 October 2023, a man from Harlow was arrested for solicitation and incitement over an alleged plot to abduct and murder Willoughby.[41] The suspect was accused of contacting another man in the United States and asking him to come to the UK for the purpose of killing Willoughby.[42] He is reported to have told the man that he had "assembled a kidnap and restraint kit capable of encouraging or assisting the commission of the kidnap of Holly Willoughby".[42][43] Willoughby was made aware of the plot on 5 October and was taken into protective custody, with Alison Hammond filling in Willoughby's role on This Morning.[44]

The suspect, Gavin Plumb, appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates Court on 6 October, where he was remanded into custody on charges of soliciting to commit murder and incitement to kidnap.[45] A plea hearing was scheduled for November at Chelmsford Crown Court.[42]

The alleged plot is believed to have been a contributing factor in Willoughby's decision to stop presenting This Morning, which she announced a week after Plumb was arrested.[46]

## Filmography[edit]

### Television[edit]

Year  | Title  | Role  | Notes

|
|
|

2000  | S Club 7: Artistic Differences | Zoe  | TV special
2002  | Xchange | Presenter  |
2002–2003  | CBBC at the Fame Academy |
2003  | X-perimental |
2004  | Junior Eurovision Song Contest: The British Final |
GameStars | TV special
2004–2006  | Ministry of Mayhem / Holly & Stephen's Saturday Showdown | Co-presenter  | With Stephen Mulhern
2005  | CD:UK | Presenter  |
Feel the Fear |
Celebrity Wrestling: Bring It On |
2006  | Lip Service |
Showbiz Darts | Contestant  | 3 episodes
2006–2011, 2018–present  | Dancing on Ice | Co-presenter  |
2006–2021  | Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway | Herself / Guest Presenter  | 10 episodes
2007  | The Westlife Show: Live | Presenter  | TV special
Greased Lightnin' |
Streetmate | 1 series
Holly & Fearne Go Dating | Herself  | Co-star with Fearne Cotton
All Star Family Fortunes | 1 episode
2007–2022  | Loose Women | Guest Panellist  | 17 episodes
2008  | Here Come the Boys | Presenter  |
2008–2009  | The Xtra Factor |
2008–2020  | Celebrity Juice | Panellist  | Team Captain; Series 1–23
2009  | Cheryl Cole's Night In | Presenter  | TV special
Piers Morgan's Life Stories | Herself  | 1 episode
2009–2023  | This Morning | Co-presenter  |
2010  | The Pale Horse | Goody Carne  | Cameo
All Star Mr & Mrs | Herself  | 1 episode
2011  | CBeebies Bedtime Stories | Storyteller  | 4 episodes
2011–2013, 2015  | Text Santa | Co-presenter  |
2012–2013  | The Voice UK | With Reggie Yates
2012–2015  | Surprise Surprise | Presenter  | 4 series
2012–2021  | The One Show | Guest Presenter  | 4 episodes
2013  | Walk on the Wild Side | Series 3, episode 2
Through the Keyhole | Herself  | 1 episode
2014  | Duck Quacks Don't Echo | Panellist  | 2 episodes
2015–2017  | Play to the Whistle | Presenter  | 3 series
2016  | Meet the Parents |
2016, 2019  | Lorraine | Guest Presenter  | 2 episodes
2018  | Coronation Street | Herself  | Cameo with Phillip Schofield
I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! | Co-presenter  | With Dec Donnelly
2019–2021  | Take Off with Bradley & Holly | With Bradley Walsh
2020  | Michael McIntyre's The Wheel | Contestant  | Christmas special[47]
2021  | The Masked Dancer | Guest Judge  | Season 1, Episode 7: "Final"
Midsomer Murders | Herself  | Cameo; Season 22, Episode 6
Ted Lasso | Season 2, Episode 2
2022  | Freeze the Fear with Wim Hof | Co-presenter  | With Lee Mack
The Games | With Freddie Flintoff[48]
Munya and Filly Get Chilly | Herself  | 6 episodes
This England | 1 episode
Would I Lie to You?
2025  | Bear Hunt | Presenter  | Upcoming series

### Film[edit]

Year  | Title  | Role  | Notes

|
|
|

2012  | Keith Lemon: The Film | Herself  | Cameo

## Bibliography[edit]

* The Best Friends' Guide to Life (with Fearne Cotton, Vermilion, 2010) ISBN 9780091935405
* Truly Happy Baby (June 2016) ISBN 9780008172527
* Truly Scrumptious Baby (September 2017) ISBN 9780008172565
* Reflections (October 2021) ISBN 978-1529135718

### School for Stars series[edit]

All books written with Kelly Willoughby

* L 'Etoile, School for Stars: First Term (2013) ISBN 9781444008111
* Second Term at L 'Etoile (2013) ISBN 9781444008135
* Third Term at L 'Etoile (2014) ISBN 9781444008159
* Summer Holiday Mystery (2014) ISBN 9781444008173
* Double Trouble at L 'Etoile (2015) ISBN 9781444014556
* The Missing Ballerina Mystery (2015) ISBN 9781444014570

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Holly Willoughby – Biography". 14 July 2012. Archived from the original on 14 July 2012. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
2. ^ "Holly Willoughby Biography – TV Guide". TV Guide. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
3. ^ a b "Willoughby to co-host I'm A Celebrity". BBC News. 29 August 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
4. ^ a b "Willoughby to present This Morning". West Sussex County Times. 17 July 2009. Retrieved 4 May 2014.
5. ^ Brown, Nancy (6 October 2020). "Phillip Schofield pokes fun at Holly Willoughby as she wears air hostess-style dress to front This Morning". Enetertainment Daily.
6. ^ "The 20 most powerful celebrity makers: the producers, gurus and managers to the stars". The Guardian. 22 June 2008. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
7. ^ a b Bio Archived 12 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine Holly Willoughby
8. ^ "OFF THE TELLY: Reviews/2000/SM:TV Live / CD:UK / S Club TV". 11 March 2009. Archived from the original on 11 March 2009.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
9. ^ Holly Willoughby Internet Movie Database
10. ^ Children's Awards BAFTA
11. ^ Holly Willoughby ITV: Dancing on Ice
12. ^ Good Golly, Miss Holly Archived 27 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine Orange Entertainment News, 29 January 2008
13. ^ Christine Bleakley replaces Holly Willoughby as 'Dancing on Ice' host. Digital Spy (18 November 2011). Retrieved 4 September 2012.
14. ^ Welsh, Daniel (4 March 2015). "Look Who's Back From Maternity Leave". HuffPost.
15. ^ "Willoughby to leave celebrity Juice after 12 years". BBC News. 4 May 2020. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
16. ^ "Willoughby new This Morning host". BBC News. 15 July 2009. Retrieved 15 July 2009.
17. ^ "Text Santa 2013 | presscentre". Itv.com. 8 November 2013. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
18. ^ "Big Brother's Emma Willis announced as new presenter of 'The Voice' UK". Digital Spy. 14 September 2013. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
19. ^ "Willoughby to host 'Surprise Surprise'". Digital Spy. 15 March 2012.
20. ^ "ITV order Series 2 of Play To The Whistle". British Comedy Guide. 18 November 2015.
21. ^ "Play to the Whistle Will Not Get Series 4". premieredate.news.
22. ^ "Holly Willoughby to host brand new ITV dating show". Digital Spy. 19 May 2016.
23. ^ "School for Stars: First Term at L'Etoile by Holly and Kelly Willoughby". The Guardian. 14 April 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
24. ^ Bagwell, Matt (24 August 2017). "Holly Willoughby 'Bags £200K Pay Rise, To Finally Match Phillip Schofield's ITV Salary'". HuffPost.
25. ^ "Dancing on Ice to return in 2018". ITV Press Centre. 4 September 2017.
26. ^ "Holly Willoughby – Spokespersons – Within Garnier – Garnier". www.garnier.co.uk. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
27. ^ Halliday, Sandra. "Holly Willoughby becomes M&S brand ambassador". FashionNetwork.com. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
28. ^ "A chat with... Diet Coke ambassador Holly Willoughby". www.coca-cola.co.uk. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
29. ^ Costello, Emma (22 February 2019). "Holly Willoughby ends brand deal with Diet Coke to focus on This Morning and Dancing On Ice". Extra.ie. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
30. ^ Fearn, Rebecca (26 September 2021). "Holly Willoughby's New Lifestyle Brand Is Goop, But British". Bustle. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
31. ^ "Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield criticised for 'jumping queue' to see Queen". The Independent. 17 September 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
32. ^ "David Beckham hailed for queuing for 13 hours as other celebrities skip queue". The Independent. 17 September 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
33. ^ Amin, Meghna (16 September 2022). "Susanna Reid queued for more than 7 hours to witness the Queen lying in state". Metro. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
34. ^ "Holly Willoughby quits This Morning". BBC News. 10 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
35. ^ Kanter, Jake (14 March 2024). "Netflix UK Unscripted Slate: Bear Grylls, Holly Willoughby Team For 'Bear Hunt'; Guy Ritchie Boards True Crime Doc 'Millennium Diamond Heist'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
36. ^ "Holly Willoughby tells Twitter followers who criticised spelling 'I'm dyslexic'". The Daily Telegraph. London. 6 November 2009. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
37. ^ Burnetts, Katie (3 August 2014). "Sisters Holly and Kelly Willoughby, a TV presenter and an author, say why they never fall out". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
38. ^ Hashish, Amira (9 April 2019). "Holly Willoughby building annexe for au pair: the This Morning presenter plans to add one-bedroom apartment to Barnes home". Evening Standard. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
39. ^ Stanfield, Leah (31 March 2023). "Holly Willoughby's rarely seen children join her on This Morning sofa". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
40. ^ "About us".
41. ^ Lynch, Niamh (6 October 2023). "Holly Willoughby: Man charged over alleged plot to kidnap and murder This Morning presenter". Sky News.
42. ^ a b c Chantler-Hicks, Lydia; Kirk, Tristan (6 October 2023). "Man, 36, charged over 'plot to kidnap and murder' Holly Willoughby appears in court". Evening Standard.
43. ^ "Holly Willoughby: Man in court over alleged kidnap plot". BBC News. 6 October 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
44. ^ "Man charged with plotting to kidnap and murder Holly Willoughby". The Irish Times. 6 October 2023.
45. ^ Kelly, Kieran (6 October 2023). "Thirty five-stone security guard contacted US hitman in 'plot to kidnap and murder Holly Willoughby', court hears". LBC.
46. ^ Anderson, Natasha; Hind, Katie (11 October 2023). "Holly Willoughby quits This Morning after 14 years on air for ITV". Perth Now.
47. ^ "Michael McIntyre's The Wheel, Series 1, Christmas Special". BBC Online. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
48. ^ "ITV announces celebrity line-up for The Games". itv.com/presscentre. Retrieved 21 March 2022.

## External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Holly Willoughby.

* Official website
* Holly Willoughby's lifestyle website, Wylde Moon
* Holly Willoughby at IMDb

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* Spain
* United States
* Korea
* Netherlands

*[m.]: married