Holly Willoughby is back on social media and looking radiant in a series of photos taken to promote her lifestyle brand Wylde Moon.
The presenter has endured a difficult summer following a harassment case and the failure to publicly acknowledge her friendship with former This Morning co-host Phillip Schofield following his affair with a younger colleague.
This has understandably led to a decline in the 43-year-old publisher’s online presence.
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Holly, who returned to social media with a bang on Monday, has since shared three official photos on her Wylde Moon account thanking fans for their reactions to her latest product.
The mother-of-three looked happy and relaxed as she posed in a dappled garden in a pale pink ball gown.
“It’s such a lovely scent and my favourite scent, so different from the others. I also have a diffuser in my hallway which is so inviting,” the star explained in the caption.
Fans were quick to heap praise on the star and the perfume, with one commenting: “I love this scent, I’m on my 3rd bottle!” Another described the photos as “gorgeous.”
Holly is expected to return to screens in 2025, after it was confirmed earlier this year that she will star in a new Netflix series called Bear Hunt, which sees former SAS cop Bear Grylls hunt down celebrities and eliminate them from the competition.
At the time, Netflix and Holly shared the news on Instagram, writing: “Introducing Bear Hunt – a new action-packed game show that sees a group of unlikely British celebrities dropped into the jungles of Central America to hunt one of the world’s most fearsome predators… hosted by @beargrylls! @hollywilloughby – coming to Netflix in 2025.”
When did Holly leave This Morning?
Holly leaves This Morning in October 2023, five months after fellow presenter Philip Schofield left the programme after admitting he lied about an affair with a younger former colleague.
So what did he say then?
Holly wrote in a statement: “I have today informed ITV that I will not be returning to This Morning after 14 years. Thank you so much to everyone who has worked on the programme over the years. This is a very difficult farewell, you are incredible and I will be forever proud of what we have built together.”
He continued: “Thank you to everyone at ITV for their support. Thank you to every guest who sat on our sofa. Most importantly thank you to the wonderful viewers. You were so loyal, so supportive and the best of friends every day.
“Richard and Judy said ‘we’re just looking after this show, it will always belong to the audience’. It was an honour to be a part of its story and I know there are many more chapters to come. Unfortunately, I feel compelled to make this decision now for myself and my family. I will miss you all so much. Holly.”
What has Phillip said since leaving This Morning?
Talking about resuming her career, she told BBC reporter Amol Rajan: “I have to talk about television in the past tense, which breaks my heart. I’ve lost everything… What am I going to do with my days? All I see is darkness, sadness, regret, remorse and guilt. I did something very wrong and then I lied about it all the time.”
Phillip also released a statement at the time, saying: “I had a consensual on-off relationship with a young male colleague on This Morning. Contrary to speculation, I met this man when I was a teenager and was asked to help him get into television, but once I started working on the show the relationship turned into more than just a friendship. It was unwise but it wasn’t illegal either. It’s over now.
“When I chose to come out, I did so entirely for my own good. No one ‘forced’ me. Neither I nor anyone else, to my knowledge, ever filed an injunction, retirement or anything else regarding my relationship with this colleague, nor was he ever suspended or fired by or because of me.”
The former presenter has made a gradual return to social media since June 2024, limiting the ability to comment on her posts.
Holly’s follower ordeal
In July, Gavin Plumb, a security guard, was charged with conspiracy to kidnap, rape and murder Holly Willoughby. At Chelmsford Crown Court he was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 16 years.
Mr Plumb planned the kidnapping for two years and was foiled when he tried to get help online to carry out the crime, but it turned out he was an undercover detective.
Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC told the sentencing hearing: “My Lord knows that this defendant subjected the victim to extreme and unwarranted humiliation. It was a humiliation so vile and disgusting that it was not reported in detail by media representatives, as agreed.”
She also spoke about the impact the case had on Holly, stating that the ordeal was “life-changing for the victim, both privately and personally, and even professionally.” It’s impossible to convey the level of shock and horror that this crime has caused… it’s investable [the trial] “This made the victim’s trauma even worse.”