WILLOUGH-BACK! 👑 TV favourite Holly Willoughby is secretly plotting a “spectacular” comeback — and insiders say she’s already reaching out to her biggest showbiz pals under the radar 👀🔥
Whispers inside ITV hint that the plan could shake up British TV in a way no one saw coming… and fans are already counting down the days to her grand return 📺✨
Holly Willoughby secretly plotting ‘spectacular’ TV comeback as she sounds out huge showbiz pals ‘under the radar’
Holly is now said to be ready to forge the next step in her career and hopes to front an evening show
HOLLY WILLOUGHBY and her TV producer hubby Dan Baldwin have been quietly plotting her solo comeback – and are determined it will be bigger than ever.
The power couple are planning to call in favours from famous friends to put together a career-saving pitch that could bring former daytime screen queen Holly back to primetime.
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Holly Willoughby is plotting a big return to television after her recent projects fell flatCredit: Getty
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Holly is consulting with friends in the TV and film industry as she plans her return to prime timeCredit: myleeneklass/Instagram
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Holly is working with television producer husband Dan Baldwin to make ambitious plansCredit: Alamy
A source close to the star said her failure to bounce back in big roles after a telly break initially put pressure on her relationship with Dan as he flourished professionally.
But now the pair, who met through work in 2004, are said to be uniting to quash rumours that Holly’s career is over — with hopes of a show to rival Jonathan Ross and Graham Norton.
The source said: “Anyone who has written Holly off has another thing coming.
“She’s never been more determined. The next move is going to be spectacular, and Dan is her secret weapon.
‘Itchy feet’
“She and Dan both know she has what it takes to go solo in a primetime evening slot, and they plan to make her the biggest female presenter in the UK again. Together, they are a force to be reckoned with.
“Plans are in early stages, but they are quietly sounding out friends from the TV, film and music industry to get them onboard for a potential new primetime show fronted by Holly.”
The former Dancing On Ice host, 44, is said to have contacted pals Emma Bunton and Christine Lampard “under the radar” for advice — and to see if they would potentially support a new project.
The star, who is mum to Harry, 16, Belle, 14, and ten-year-old Chester, posed with her posse at a pal’s birthday bash earlier this month.
Snaps on Instagram showed her hanging out with Loose Women star Christine, Nicole and Natalie Appleton, Spice Girl Emma, pop-singer-turned-DJ Myleene Klass and broadcaster Kate Thornton.
Holly has also been discussing her plans with former Celebrity Juice colleague Fearne Cotton, who she has grown close to again since leaving This Morning in 2023.
How ITV are losing grip on ‘golden girl’ Holly Willoughby as she eyes £10m TV megadeal and plans to follow TV legend
Back then, she took time out of the limelight as sicko Gavin Plumb awaited trial for plotting to abduct, rape and kill her.
He was later jailed for at least 16 years.
The source said of her solo bid: “This isn’t a new thing — Holly has always had ambitions way beyond the This Morning sofa.
“And when she left for family reasons following her really traumatic year in 2023, she always had in her mind that she would come back bigger and better when the time was right — and so long as it was safe for her family.
She can see herself being the first big female primetime chat show host — a bit like a female Jonathan Ross
“Now some time has passed and she’s starting to get itchy feet.
“The children are older and she has more time on her hands, especially since her soft-launch comeback show with Bear Grylls on Netflix was cancelled after one season.
“To be honest, there has been some tension there in the marriage because Dan is incredibly successful and Holly wanted them to work together on something.
“But obviously he has had other commitments, like the relaunch of Gladiators, among other things.
“But now they are both committed to the big Holly comeback.
“And they are both taking it very seriously and quietly starting to put out feelers in their showbiz network to see who they can get on board to make a pitch as appealing as possible to broadcasters.”
Holly — who quit This Morning after co-host Phillip Schofield left amid fury over his affair with a younger colleague — has always hosted her biggest shows as part of a double act.
Together, she and Phil presented This Morning for 14 years, and they also teamed up to front Dancing On Ice. So when their relationship broke down, it was a huge blow.
For anyone who thinks this is the end of her career, they are going to have a big surprise because when she does make her comeback, it’s going to be bigger and better than what she’s done before
Holly then stepped out of the public eye after the death threats against her emerged.
When she returned to our screens on Netflix’s Celebrity Bear Hunt earlier this year, she was alongside her pal Bear Grylls.
But since then, the show has been axed, along with her other primetime hit, Dancing On Ice. And she quit game show You Bet! in March, which she hosted with Stephen Mulhern.
However, Holly is now said to be ready to go it alone and forge the next step in her career.
Our source said: “The idea is to do an evening show rather than daytime, and Holly would like to front it on her own but have other celebrities on and interview them.
‘Knows her worth’
“But she has made it clear to Dan that they would need to be much bigger names than the ones that tended to appear on Celebrity Juice, which she used to front with Fearne Cotton and host Keith Lemon.
“Holly knows her worth and she wants the best time slot and the best guests.
“She can see herself being the first big female primetime chat show host — a bit like a female Jonathan Ross.
“She’s 45 next year and she’s at a time in her life when she is ready to go solo without a co-host by her side — and she sees this as the way to do it.”
Rumours that Dan’s recent success in signing a deal to bring the US National Football League to UK viewers on Channel 5 will stop her from returning to showbiz are said to be false.
The mole added: “Holly will be very annoyed that people are writing off her career because of Dan’s latest successful project.
“She has always been adamant that she wants to be independently successful and she has proved over the years that she can do this, and things are no different now.
“For anyone who thinks this is the end of her career, they are going to have a big surprise because when she does make her comeback, it’s going to be bigger and better than what she’s done before.
“If anything, the fact that Dan is doing so well professionally means there is less pressure on Holly to accept anything that she feels might fall below her ultimate goals.
“She is also a very strong person and people sometimes write her off as the girl next door, or a ditzy blonde.
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Holly presented This Morning for ITV alongside Phillip Schofield for 14 yearsCredit: Rex
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Holly quit presenting Dancing On Ice as she decided to take a total break from televisionCredit: Rex
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She teamed up with Stephen Mulhern again for You Bet, before deciding to quitCredit: ITV
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Holly presented Celebrity Bear Hunt – but was left disappointed when Netflix cancelled the show after one seasonCredit: Getty
