Holly Willoughby looked fresh-faced and nervous in her very first appearance on This Morning in 2009.
The TV presenter, 42, announced on Tuesday she has quit the daytime chat show after 14 years, leaving ITV bosses ‘absolutely gobsmacked’ and the struggling show in ‘chaos.’
In an emotional statement to her eight million Instagram followers she told how she has left with immediate effect for the sake of herself and her family following an alleged plot to kidnap and murder her last week.
Holly made her This Morning debut in September 2009 at just 28 years old after bosses decided she was a good match for longtime host Phillip Schofield.
In her opening appearance, Holly clinged onto Phillip’s arm as she admitted how nervous she was to be presenting the iconic show.
![Holly Willoughby's Debut on This Morning in 2009: First Look, Fresh-faced, and Nervous. After 14 Years, Willoughby Announces ITV Show Departure. 1 Memories: Holly Willoughby looked fresh-faced and nervous in her very first appearance on This Morning in 2009](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/11/08/76416799-12617843-image-a-37_1697010174407.jpg)
Memories: Holly Willoughby looked fresh-faced and nervous in her very first appearance on This Morning in 2009
![Holly Willoughby's Debut on This Morning in 2009: First Look, Fresh-faced, and Nervous. After 14 Years, Willoughby Announces ITV Show Departure. 3 Debut: Holly made her This Morning debut in September 2009 at just 28 years old after bosses decided she was a good match for longtime host Phillip Schofield](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/11/08/76416803-12617843-image-a-38_1697010179053.jpg)
Debut: Holly made her This Morning debut in September 2009 at just 28 years old after bosses decided she was a good match for longtime host Phillip Schofield
‘Welcome! How do you feel?’ Phillip said.
‘Um, like this isn’t really happening,’ Holly replied.
‘You said that a second ago, which makes me a tad bit nervous,’ Phillip joked.
Looking back on the clip with Phillip in a later episode, Holly said: ‘I just remember this was one of the scariest things in my telly career that I’d ever had to do.
‘To come in that day and stand next to you as well, the whole thing was just terrifying.’
Holly and Phillip first began working together in 2006 as co-hosts of Dancing On Ice, with TV bosses picking up on their chemistry.
Three years later, Holly was chosen to join This Morning when former host Fern Britton quit after 10 years.
Holly’s exit from the show comes after a former Pizza Hut was remanded in custody last week charged over an alleged plot to kidnap and murder her.
![Holly Willoughby's Debut on This Morning in 2009: First Look, Fresh-faced, and Nervous. After 14 Years, Willoughby Announces ITV Show Departure. 5 News: The TV star took to Instagram on Tuesday to confirm she 'will not be returning' to the show, days after an alleged plot to kidnap and murder her was foiled](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/11/08/76388883-12617843-News_The_TV_star_42_took_to_Instagram_on_Tuesday_to_confirm_she_-a-31_1697008296033.jpg)
News: The TV star took to Instagram on Tuesday to confirm she ‘will not be returning’ to the show, days after an alleged plot to kidnap and murder her was foiled
![Holly Willoughby's Debut on This Morning in 2009: First Look, Fresh-faced, and Nervous. After 14 Years, Willoughby Announces ITV Show Departure. 7 Shock announcement: Holly's Instagram post was flooded with supportive comments from her This Morning co-stars](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/11/08/76390723-12617843-Shock_announcement_Holly_s_Instagram_post_was_flooded_with_suppo-a-32_1697008298334.jpg)
Shock announcement: Holly’s Instagram post was flooded with supportive comments from her This Morning co-stars
Gavin Plumb, 36, from Harlow, Essex, is accused of offences including soliciting to commit murder and incitement to commit kidnap in relation to the broadcaster, allegedly contacting a hitman in the US and booking him flights.
The TV presenter pulled out of hosting This Morning on Thursday and her London home was reportedly being guarded by police after Plumb was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of conspiracy to kidnap.
Holly’s full statement said: ‘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 so much. This is such a difficult goodbye, you are incredible and I forever will be proud of what we’ve done together.
‘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 very 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 it’s 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.’
![Holly Willoughby's Debut on This Morning in 2009: First Look, Fresh-faced, and Nervous. After 14 Years, Willoughby Announces ITV Show Departure. 9 End of an era: Holly's departure is said to have taken ITV bosses by surprise, with some staff only learning of the decision minutes before she announced it on social media](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/11/08/76394451-12617843-Ms_Willoughby_s_departure_is_said_to_have_taken_ITV_bosses_by_su-a-33_1697009549199.jpg)
End of an era: Holly’s departure is said to have taken ITV bosses by surprise, with some staff only learning of the decision minutes before she announced it on social media
![Holly Willoughby's Debut on This Morning in 2009: First Look, Fresh-faced, and Nervous. After 14 Years, Willoughby Announces ITV Show Departure. 11 Change: Holly's decision to quit has thrown This Morning into further disarray following the departure of Phillip Schofield (pictured with Holly in February 2020, when he came out as gay live on the programme)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/11/08/76395039-12617843-Ms_Willoughby_s_decision_to_quit_has_thrown_This_Morning_into_fu-a-34_1697009554772.jpg)
Change: Holly’s decision to quit has thrown This Morning into further disarray following the departure of Phillip Schofield (pictured with Holly in February 2020, when he came out as gay live on the programme)
![Holly Willoughby's Debut on This Morning in 2009: First Look, Fresh-faced, and Nervous. After 14 Years, Willoughby Announces ITV Show Departure. 13 Harrowing: Gavin Plumb, 36, appeared in the dock at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on Friday accused of soliciting to commit murder and incitement to commit kidnap](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/11/08/76313027-12617843-Harrowing_Gavin_Plumb_36_appeared_in_the_dock_at_Chelmsford_Magi-a-51_1697010225214.jpg)
Gavin Plumb, 36, appeared in the dock at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Friday accused of soliciting to commit murder and incitement to commit kidnap
An ITV boss said the broadcaster is looking forward to working with Holly ‘in the future’ following the news she is quitting This Morning.
In a statement, Kevin Lygo, managing director of media and entertainment at ITV, told MailOnline: ‘We are sad that Holly is leaving This Morning, but respect her decision which we know will have been extremely difficult for her to make.
‘Holly is one of the best loved, respected and most accomplished broadcasters in the UK. She has been at the heart of This Morning for the past 14 years, and she is adored by our viewers.’
Holly has suffered severals blow over the last year, which began when her golden girl status was knocked during ‘Queuegate’, when she and former co-host Phillip were accused queue jumping at the Lying-in-State of Queen Elizabeth II.
At the time, Holly was said to be distraught over the change in public opinion towards her and the scandal reportedly caused a rift in her relationship with Phillip, 61, with insiders claiming that ‘cracks began to show’ between the once close pair.
Sources reported that relations between the co-hosts and friends deteriorated further in the coming months.
They came to head when it emerged that Phillip had been having an ‘unwise but not illegal’ affair with a younger male colleague.