First look at Holly Willoughby's TV comeback with Phillip Schofield replacement

06 January 2024 , 20:00

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First look at Holly Willoughby's TV comeback with Phillip Schofield replacement

Dressed in a flattering red ball gown, Holly Willoughby looked the picture of sophistication as she posed for publicity pictures ahead of her return to Dancing On Ice.

The 42 year old presenter made the shock decision to quit her lead presenter role on This Morning back in October last year. At the time, she released a statement informing fans that she had bowed out of presenting the daytime show after 14 years for "me and my family."

It was unknown whether the mum of three would return to TV at the time as those close, including pal Leigh Francis, claimed that she was in a bad way. But now, Holly has posed for pictures alongside Phillip Schofield's replacement Stephen Mulhern. The pair are seen standing side by side and are all smiles ahead of the show's return on January 14.

Those taking part in the televised skating competition include former Coronation Street star Ryan Thomas, Amber Davies, Adele Roberts and Greg Rutherford. Holly had previously presented the ITV show, along with This Morning, with Phillip Schofield before he was forced to quit ITV "with immediate effect."

First look at Holly Willoughby's return with Phillip Schofield's replacement Stephen Mulhern on Dancing On Ice

This came after he admitted to lying about an affair that he had with a male runner on This Morning. Speaking of Holly's new presenting partnership with Stephen, ITV’s head of entertainment commissioning Katie Rawcliffe said: "Holly and Stephen are two of our best loved presenters, so reuniting them 20 years after they first appeared on screen together to host Dancing On Ice marks the start of an exciting year for the show."

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Both Stephen and Holly had previously worked together Ministry of Mayhem 20 years ago. When Holly made the decision to quit This Morning, it left many in shock including her colleagues and fans. In a statement, Holly wrote: "I have let ITV know today that after 14 years, I will not be returning to This Morning.To everyone who has ever worked on the show over the years, thank you so much. This is such a difficult goodbye, you are incredible and I forever will be proud of what we’ve done together. "

She added: "Thank you to everyone at ITV for being supportive. To every guest who has sat on our sofa, thank you.Most of all, thank you to the wonderful viewers. You’ve been so loyal, so supportive and the best company every day. Richard and Judy said, 'We only look after this show, it will always belong to the viewers'. It’s been an honour to just be part of its story and I know this story has many chapters left to go. "

She continued: "Sadly, however, I now I feel I have to make this decision for me and my family. I will miss you all so much." An insider close to Holly told The Sun: "Bosses have been working hard to ensure she feels completely secure, trying not to put any pressure on all while making sure she knows they are ready to support her every step of the way.”

Lucretia Munro