Holly Willoughby has finally broken her silence on her exit from This Morning and her incredibly tough year.
The star, 43, quit This Morning back in October 2023 after learning she was subject to a planned abduction and murder plot.
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Holly Willoughby talks This Morning exit
In an emotional new interview with The Times, Holly has opened up about her exit from This Morning.
It is her first interview in more than a year, ever since she quit This Morning in late 2023. The star had been on the show since 2009.
During the chat, the crying star admitted that some of the changes in her life have been “really good” – and that leaving This Morning has allowed her to do more family-orientated things.
However, she did share her sadness over the impact the kidnap plot – and subsequent security fears – had on her day-to-day life.
I’ve spent a long time not being able to take my kids to school.
“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 said sadly.
‘I’ve missed that’
The star then continued, explaining how her eldest son, Harry – who is 15 – is now doing his 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 realising it, I think I’ve missed that. It’s really lovely to get some of that back,” she said.
Holly is also mum to son Chester, nine, and daughter Belle, 12.
The star then went on to say how in the early days after her ITV exit, she and the children had to “get used to how each other works again”.
She explained that when they’d come home, she’d be keen for them to tell her about their day as, at home and not working, she hadn’t spoken to anyone all day. However, her kids would be too “exhausted” to talk. This is in contrast to how it used to be when she’d be “absolutely knackered” after work and wouldn’t ask about their days as much.
Holly Willoughby on quitting This Morning
When asked if leaving This Morning had been “terrifying”, she responded in the negative, alluding to behind-the-scenes dramas as the Phillip Schofield scandal also raged.
“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.
She also went on to confess that she knew she’d be back on telly soon. She admitted that it was “important” for her to get back to “normality” following her exit.
The star did return to TV a few months after her This Morning exit to host Dancing On Ice alongside Stephen Mulhern. She then admitted that TV is “all I have known”.
Read more: Dancing On Ice host Holly Willoughby ‘more open and jokes more’ since Stephen Mulhern joined show
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