
Holly Willoughby Opens Up on This Morning Exit and Harrowing Year
0
Holly Willoughby has finally broken her silence regarding her departure from This Morning and the exceptionally challenging year she has endured. The beloved star, aged 43, left the ITV Breakfast program in October 2023 after uncovering a planned abduction and murder plot against her, marking the end of her long-standing tenure on the show since 2009.
In an emotional and candid interview with The Times, Holly, who has kept a low profile for over a year, shared intimate details about her decision to leave This Morning and the profound impact of the threats on her personal life. “I’ve spent a long time not being able to take my kids to school,” Holly revealed tearfully.
“A lot of the change has been really good, you know? I’ve spent a long time not being able to take my kids to school and — I know, the school run, every [other] parent, they’d be like: ‘Christ, you absolutely dodged a bullet there.’ But there have been so many assemblies I haven’t been able to go to, so many things I’ve missed,” she added with sadness.
Despite the turmoil, Holly acknowledged the positive changes resulting from her departure. She expressed gratitude for the regained time with her family, particularly as her eldest son, Harry, navigates his final year of GCSEs. “This is his last year of school before he goes off to college and A-levels and stuff. And actually I’m grateful for having this time. Without even realizing it, I think I’ve missed that. It’s really lovely to get some of that back,” she shared.
Holly is also a devoted mother to her nine-year-old son, Chester, and twelve-year-old daughter, Belle. She discussed the adjustments she and her children had to make after her exit from This Morning. “When we’d come home, I’d be keen for them to tell me about their day as, at home and not working, I hadn’t spoken to anyone all day. However, my kids would be too ‘exhausted’ to talk.
This is in contrast to how it used to be when I’d be ‘absolutely knackered’ after work and wouldn’t ask about their days as much,” Holly explained. Addressing whether leaving This Morning had been “terrifying,” Holly responded negatively, referencing the concurrent Phillip Schofield scandal.
“That question is wrapped up in so many things that were going on at that time. But no. That was the last thing on my mind. The choice [to step away] was really simple and easy, actually,” she admitted. Holly also spoke about her return to television, emphasizing the importance of restoring normality in her life.
“I knew I’d be back on telly soon. It was important for me to get back to normality following my exit,” she confessed. True to her word, Holly returned to the screen a few months after leaving This Morning by co-hosting Dancing On Ice alongside Stephen Mulhern. Reflecting on her career, she stated, “TV is all I have known.”
Throughout her nearly 30-year career as a model, presenter, and actress, Holly Willoughby has remained a resilient and inspiring figure. Her openness about her struggles and triumphs offers a poignant glimpse into the life of one of the UK’s most adored stars.