Holly Willoughby remains one of Britain’s most recognisable television personalities, and 2026 has turned into a pivotal year in her career. After stepping back from mainstream TV following a turbulent 2023, the presenter has spent the past two years rebuilding her public life on her own terms — culminating in a new YouTube lifestyle series and a string of high-profile appearances. This article breaks down who Holly Willoughby is, how she built her career, what happened during her This Morning exit, and what she’s doing now in 2026.
Who Is Holly Willoughby?
Holly Marie Willoughby was born on 10 February 1981 in Brighton, East Sussex, England, and was educated at The College of Richard Collyer. She began her career as a model in her teens before moving into television presenting in the early 2000s, quickly becoming a familiar face on British children’s programming.
Over the following two decades, she built a reputation as one of the UK’s most versatile hosts, known for warm, relatable on-screen chemistry and a personal brand that blends fashion, lifestyle content, and mainstream entertainment.
Early Career and Rise to Fame
Willoughby’s break came through children’s television, where her natural presenting style caught the attention of major networks. She transitioned into adult entertainment programming, eventually landing the role that would define her career for over a decade.
The This Morning Years (2009–2023)
Willoughby’s most iconic role was as co-host of ITV’s flagship daytime programme, This Morning, a position she held from 2009 to 2023 alongside various co-presenters, most notably Phillip Schofield. Under their partnership, the show won National Television Awards across daytime, live magazine, and topical magazine categories for twelve consecutive years — a run that only broke in 2023 amid mounting behind-the-scenes turmoil.
The Phillip Schofield Scandal
Five months before Willoughby’s own exit, This Morning was rocked by scandal when Schofield left the show after admitting to lying about an affair with a younger colleague. The fallout cast a long shadow over the programme and, by extension, over Willoughby, who had co-hosted alongside him for years.
Why Holly Willoughby Left This Morning
In October 2023, Willoughby announced she was stepping down from This Morning after 14 years. Her decision followed a deeply distressing period: a man had been charged with soliciting to commit murder in connection with an alleged plot to kidnap her, and she had been absent from the show in the immediate aftermath. In her farewell statement, she said the decision was being made for herself and her family, and thanked the show’s crew, guests, and loyal viewers for their support over the years. In July 2024, a man was found guilty of plotting to kidnap, rape, and murder her — a case that underscored just how serious the threat against her had been.
Dancing on Ice and Other TV Work
Beyond This Morning, Willoughby became closely associated with Dancing on Ice, which she hosted across two separate stints: 2006–2011 and again from 2018 through 2025. Her broader television résumé is extensive and includes:
- The Xtra Factor (2008–2009)
- Text Santa (2011–2013, 2015)
- The Voice UK (2012–2013)
- Surprise Surprise (2012–2015)
- Celebrity Juice, as team captain (2008–2020)
- Play to the Whistle (2015–2017)
- I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! (2018)
- Freeze the Fear with Wim Hof (2022)
- The Games (2022)
This range of credits illustrates why Willoughby became such a dominant figure in British light entertainment — few presenters of her generation have hosted across so many formats, from talent competitions to reality TV to sports specials.
A Brief Netflix Chapter
In February 2025, Willoughby fronted Celebrity Bear Hunt, a reality competition series for Netflix co-starring Bear Grylls. It marked her first major move since leaving This Morning, but the show was cancelled after a single eight-episode season. ITV also opted to rest Dancing on Ice for the 2026 series, further signalling a shift away from her traditional broadcast home.
Family Life
Willoughby married television producer Dan Baldwin in 2007, and the couple have three children together. Baldwin runs the production company Hungry Bear Media, which has become central to Willoughby’s post-ITV career, producing several of her newer digital projects. Willoughby has generally kept her family life relatively private, choosing to share curated glimpses through her lifestyle brand and social media rather than granting extensive personal interviews.
Holly Willoughby’s 2026 Comeback
After a year largely away from the TV spotlight, 2026 has brought a clear and deliberate return. Rather than going back to ITV, Willoughby has built a multi-platform comeback strategy centred on ownership and creative control, largely produced through Hungry Bear Media.
Holly Willoughby Together on YouTube
The centrepiece of her 2026 return is Holly Willoughby Together, a lifestyle series launched on YouTube on 28 July 2026. Filmed in a purpose-built studio, the show is structured around five recurring pillars — Talk Together, Cook Together, Look Good Together, Better Together, and Hang Out Together — with two new episodes released per week. Early guests have included Stanley Tucci, Katherine Ryan, Joanne McNally, Emma Bunton, and Nicole Appleton, alongside conversations with campaigners such as Ellen Roome, who advocates for stronger tech regulation, and chefs including Lauren Leyva.
The move to YouTube reflects a broader industry trend: digital platforms have increasingly overtaken traditional broadcast in viewing figures across the UK, and Willoughby’s pivot positions her to reach audiences directly without relying on a network schedule.
Other 2026 Projects and Appearances
Alongside the YouTube launch, reports throughout early 2026 pointed to additional ventures, including a rumoured Netflix-style documentary project and a separate digital series in development through Hungry Bear. In March 2026, Willoughby also took on a high-profile hosting role at a royal-associated event — one of her first major public appearances since scaling back her television work.
She has continued to build her lifestyle brand, Wylde Moon, through fashion content and public appearances, and remains highly active on Instagram, where she has amassed millions of followers who follow her style, home life, and career updates closely.
FAQ: Common Questions About Holly Willoughby
Is Holly Willoughby still on TV?
She is no longer a regular presenter on ITV’s This Morning or Dancing on Ice, but she remains active in entertainment through her YouTube series Holly Willoughby Together and occasional high-profile hosting appearances.
Why did Holly Willoughby leave This Morning?
She stepped down in October 2023, citing personal and family reasons, following a distressing period that included a foiled plot to kidnap her.
What is Holly Willoughby doing now?
As of 2026, she hosts Holly Willoughby Together, a YouTube lifestyle series, and continues to build her Wylde Moon lifestyle brand alongside select high-profile appearances.
Final Thoughts
Holly Willoughby’s career trajectory over the past three years tells a story of resilience and reinvention. After navigating one of the most difficult chapters of her public life, she has chosen a path that prioritises creative independence — building her own platform rather than waiting for a traditional broadcast comeback. Whether Holly Willoughby Together becomes a lasting fixture of her career or a stepping stone to something bigger, 2026 has clearly marked her return to the spotlight on her own terms.
