Holly Willoughby signalled at a fresh start on Friday as she put her troubled year behind her with a social media move.
It’s been a stressful time for the presenter, who was the victim of the alleged plot to kidnap and murder her, and also fell out with longtime friend Phillip Schofield.
Hinting at new beginnings, the former This Morning presenter, 42, has now changed her Instagram display photo for the first time in years.
Up until Friday, Holly’s display photo was one from her early days on This Morning, smiling with a daisy in her hair.
The photo is now one of her recently: hair short and outside with nature, wearing a puffy sleeved white and purple dress.
Holly Willoughby, 42, signalled at a fresh start on Friday as she put her troubled year behind her with a social media move
The presenter changed her Instagram display photo for the first time in years. In the new photo, hair short and outside with nature, wearing a puffy sleeved white and purple dress
Up until Friday, Holly’s display photo was one from her early days on This Morning, smiling with a daisy in her hair. It had been her profile picture for years
It comes immediately after she posted to her feed for the first time since October, revealing her comeback to television for Dancing On Ice.
MailOnline exclusively revealed last month that Holly would be returning to the show after quitting This Morning following alleged plot to kidnap and murder her.
On Instagram, she shared a photograph of the Dancing On Ice launch show script as she confirmed she was back at work on the show and shared her excitement for the 2024 series.
Alongside the photograph, seemingly taken in her home, Holly penned: ‘And so it begins…,’ alongside an emoji of an ice skate and a smiling face.
Holly will host the new series alongside Stephen, who is taking Phillip Schofield’s place after he was fired by ITV.
The new cast united for a photocall event earlier this week as they took official shots and took part in interviews, but Holly wasn’t in attendance.
The Mirror then reported that Holly – who was at last year’s shoot – skipped the photocall to concentrate on rehearsals with her new co-host Stephen.
A source told the publication of this year’s event: ‘Holly doesn’t want any distractions at the moment so she wasn’t at the photoshoot.
‘And for her it is more about rehearsals and getting the series off to a great start with a new co-host.’
After her two-month TV absence, Holly took to Instagram to share a photograph of the Dancing On Ice launch show script as she shared her excitement for the 2024 series
The TV presenter will make her on-screen return after a two-month hiatus on Sunday for the ITV skating competition’s launch show alongside her new co-host Stephen Mulhern
MailOnline exclusively revealed last month that Holly would be returning to the show after quitting This Morning following alleged plot to kidnap and murder her
The source continued: ‘She’s putting all her energy into the show. Holly is a total professional and as always she will be putting her heart and soul into the series with Stephen.’
Though she wasn’t at the group cast photocall, the first official photographs of new co-hosts Holly and Stephen have been revealed.
The Mail on Sunday revealed that she met Stephen, 46, two weeks earlier for the pictures to be taken – just days after she made her first public outing since early October, when a former Essex security guard was charged with contacting a hitman in the US to kidnap and murder her.
It is understood that she and Stephen did not meet the show’s judges, including Olympic gold medalists Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, but instead had their own private shoot at a studio in London.
One friend said: ‘It was quite an emotional day, it felt like the beginnings of a routine after months of being at home and shutting herself off from the outside world.
‘But Holly has always loved wearing dreamy, princess-style gowns on Dancing On Ice, it was always her time to get really dressed up.’
It was a doubly special reunion with Stephen, ITV’s popular and long-serving star who hosts the reboot of Deal Or No Deal and Catchphrase, because he was at her side when she got her first big break in TV almost 20 years ago.
The pair hosted ITV morning children’s shows Ministry Of Mayhem and Holly & Stephen’s Saturday Showdown when they were in their 20s and since then have had an unbreakable bond.
Her new co-host Stephen was at her side when she got her big break in TV almost 20 years ago and they hosted children’s show Holly & Stephen’s Saturday Showdown together (pictured)
Stephen is taking Phillip Schofield’s place on Dancing On Ice, after he hosted the show for many years with Holly before he was fired by ITV
‘It really made a difference to Holly’s mindset to know that Stephen would be with her all of the way. It has really made her smile,’ the friend added.
‘For years and years, Phil was with her and suddenly he was gone. To be working with Stephen again at such a poignant time in her career is special for Holly.
‘Whether she went back to Dancing On Ice was a quandary for Holly, some gentle persuasion from Stephen definitely helped to seal the deal.’
On Sunday at 6.30pm, Holly will co-host the programme – whose stars include Love Island’s Amber Davies, Eddie ‘the Eagle’ Edwards and former Brookside actress Claire Sweeney, from ITV’s studio at the old RAF base in Bovingdon, Hertfordshire.
DANCING ON ICE: MEET THE 2024 CONTESTANTS
RICKY HATTON
AGE: 44
PROFESSION: Former pro boxer
WHAT DID HE SAY? ‘If I can hold my nerve in the boxing ring I should be able to hold my nerve in the ice rink’
HANNAH SPEARRITT
AGE: 42
PROFESSION: SINGER
WHAT DID SHE SAY? ‘I’m really excited about learning a new skill. It’s so easy to live your comfortable life and that aspect of mixing things up is very appealing’
GREG RUTHERFORD
AGE: 36
PROFESSION: Athlete
WHAT DID HE SAY? ‘I like a challenge and I needed a reason to go out and do stuff again and here we are. I want to perform something that’s never been done before, that’s my aim.’
Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards
AGE: 59
PROFESSION: OLYMPIC SKI JUMPER
WHAT DID HE SAY? ‘Dancing on Ice is a show I’ve always wanted to do. It’s a challenge I think I’m going to relish!’
RICKY NORWOOD
AGE: 40
PROFESSION: EastEnders star
WHAT DID HE SAY? ‘It’s come at such a great time in life. I can’t skate at all! No rehearsals as yet, I’ve just had some physiotherapy to strengthen the body.’
RYAN THOMAS
AGE: 39
PROFESSION: Corrie star
WHAT DID HE SAY? ‘Everyone keeps asking me, “are you doing it?” I’ve told everyone!’
CLAIRE SWEENEY
AGE: 52
PROFESSION: ACTRESS
WHAT DID SHE SAY? ‘I am stepping into the unknown here. I don’t know how I will feel. But I am very excited.’
AMBER DAVIES
AGE: 26
PROFESSION: WEST END STAR
WHAT DID SHE SAY? ‘I would definitely say that I’m an adrenaline junkie but I do get more nervous as I get older and I hope that I can contain them’
MILES NAZAIRE
AGE: 27
PROFESSION: REALITY STAR
WHAT DID HE SAY? ‘I’ve always loved to dance but it’s usually on a dance floor on a Saturday night and Dancing on Ice looks so difficult.’
LOU SANDERS
AGE: 37
PROFESSION: COMEDIAN
WHAT DID SHE SAY? ‘I’m nervous about cracking my head open, or just bashing the old head. I can’t afford to lose any more brain cells.’
ADELE ROBERTS
AGE: 44
PROFESSION: RADIO PRESENTER
WHAT DID SHE SAY? ‘It’s ”bricking it on ice” for me! I think the hardest part is putting myself out there as I usually hide away’
ROXY SHAHIDI
AGE: 40
PROFESSION: Emmerdale star
WHAT DID SHE SAY? ‘I can’t ice-skate. I haven’t really said anything to anyone but mainly because I’m so nervous about it!’
