It can’t be an easy time for Holly Willoughby right now, as she has, surely, been forced to relive the nightmare of alleged stalker Gavin Plumb as he began his trial in Chelmsford Crown Court - but she has the backing of a lot of well wishers.
It emerged last October that the star had been the subject of a terrifying kidnap plot. She had been a much-loved mainstay on the show for 14 years, and just a week later, on October 10 2023, Holly announced that she was quitting ITV’s This Morning "for me and my family".
"I have let ITV know today that after 14 years, I will not be returning to This Morning," she posted on Tuesday. She added: "It's been an honour to just be part of its story and I know this story has many chapters left to go. Sadly, however, I now feel I have to make this decision for me and my family. I will miss you all so much."
Gavin Plumb, 37, has been in custody since October 2023 and has been charged with soliciting a man - David Nelson - to commit murder, as well as incitement to commit a kidnapping between October 2 and 5 in Harlow, Essex. He denies two charges of plotting to kidnap and rape between December 2021 and October 2023.
During the trial it has emerged that police officers discovered millions of images of women including Holly and other female celebrities on his electronic devices, Chelmsford Crown Court heard. Plumb had also shared 'deepfake p*rnography images of Holly Willoughby' online with an individual called Marc.
Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC took the jury through evidence which included terrifying voice notes Plumb sent which detailed his search for a location to 'hold her'. The trial was also shown a horrifying picture of plumb's kidnap kit, including ropes, handcuffs and metal cable ties.
These must be very difficult times for Holly - but the knowledge that she has the support of so many must be a source of comfort.
At the recent TRIC Awards in London, presenter and funnyman Leigh Francis, a.k.a. Keith Lemon - Holly’s former Celebrity Juice colleague - also opened up to OK! about what his pal is going through.
“It’s quite unbelievable - I can’t even comprehend what she must be going through.”
Asked if he had reached out to Holly, he said he had seen her recently, but added: “We spoke about Holly’s new Netflix show. We don’t tend to talk about the horrible things.”
The supportive comments follow an outpouring of love and support from sad viewers and celebrity friends alike last year, when the scary plot first hit headlines.
Former Countdown host Carol Vorderman wrote on social media at the time: “Wishing you and your family peace and strength in what must be a very difficult time after the news of last week Holly x from my time on TM, I know that the team will miss you very much. Take care [heart emoji].”
Sometime This Morning co-host Craig Doyle also wrote of her departure from the daytime show, “We are so supportive of you and we love you to bits, we just wish it didn’t end this way. It's a sad day for everyone. [green heart emoji].”
Elsewhere, other familiar faces including Abbey Clancy, Binky Felstead, Dermot O’Leary and Juliet Sear posted similar messages of support.
And even former co-host Phillip Schofield reportedly reached out to his former colleague, following an alleged cooling in their relationship, following Philip's dramatic resignation from This Morning last May, after revealing that he had an affair with a younger male colleague.
Something like this is bound to shake anyone. But hopefully, Holly will soon be able to move on from this harrowing chapter in her life, as she looks forward to exciting new times in her career, not least her new high-octane Netfilx reality show Bear Hunt with Bear Grylls, which she has already been seen filming for in Costa Rica.
The show, set to hit our screens in 2025, will see a group of unlikely British celebrities sent into the Central American jungle and taught survival skills - and in a twist, they will become “prey” for Grylls and will be hunted in what's been described as a “brutal game of cat and mouse”.
It's a show that, if it proves a hit, could propel Holly towards global stardom. Onwards and upwards...
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