Holly Willoughby is reportedly preparing to film a pilot episode for a chat show with the streaming giant Disney+, signaling a potential expansion of her television career into the American market. The proposed show, tentatively titled "The Holding Space with Holly Willoughby," is expected to center on discussions about empowerment and authenticity featuring high-profile female guests.
Sources indicate the pilot is scheduled to be filmed later this month. This move comes several weeks after Willoughby launched her own YouTube series, "Together," and marks her return to the public eye since stepping away from the ITV daytime program "This Morning" in October 2023. Her departure from "This Morning" followed revelations about a plot to kidnap her, and occurred months after her co-host Phillip Schofield admitted to lying about a relationship with a younger colleague.
The production company behind the potential Disney+ project is said to have invested a significant amount of money and expressed confidence in its prospects for a full series pickup. Willoughby's "Together" YouTube series, which premiered last month, has garnered mixed critical reviews. The show features interviews and segments, including a cooking segment with actor Stanley Tucci in its initial episode.
Critics have compared Willoughby's YouTube venture to Meghan Markle's Netflix lifestyle series, with some reviews suggesting a lack of clear direction and unconvincing attempts at relatability. "The Guardian" described Willoughby's show as "a marginally less agonising With Love, Meghan," while "The Telegraph" stated her program "makes Meghan look good."
Willoughby's "Together" series has accumulated a modest number of views and subscribers since its launch. For comparison, the podcast "The Rest Is Entertainment," launched in November 2023, has a substantially larger subscriber base. Reviews for Willoughby's YouTube show have cited issues such as awkward small talk, overly long running times, and inconsistent production quality, with "The Mirror" suggesting a tighter 30-40 minute format might be more effective and recommending multiple guests for livelier conversation.
Upcoming episodes of "Together" are slated to feature guests such as Nicole Appleton, Emma Bunton, Katherine Ryan, and Joanne McNally. Willoughby's previous television roles included "Dancing on Ice," which concluded in 2025, and the Netflix show "Celebrity Bear Hunt," which was dropped last year.