Holly Willoughby has launched a new YouTube show, titled 'Holly Willoughby Together,' marking her return to the public eye after a period of absence from television. The twice-weekly series, produced by her husband Dan Baldwin's company Hungry Bear Media, aims to showcase a more uninhibited side of the presenter.
Willoughby departed ITV's 'This Morning' after 14 years following threats to her safety, which led to a former security guard being sentenced to life in prison. This traumatic event significantly impacted her, causing her to retreat from public life. "Everyone knows what happened to me," Willoughby stated. "Why should I not be able to carry on doing what I do because of what happened?" She explained that the experience altered her perspective, making her less concerned about public opinion.
A New Creative Direction
The YouTube show is structured into five segments: Talk Together, Cook Together, Look Good Together, Better Together, and Hang Out Together. It features celebrity guests such as comedian Katherine Ryan and actor Stanley Tucci, as well as chefs and online personalities. Friends like Emma Bunton and Nicole Appleton also appear, joining Willoughby for informal chats. The show also touches on more serious topics, with Willoughby interviewing a tech safety campaigner whose son died following a TikTok challenge.
Willoughby noted that her daughter Belle inspired the move to YouTube, recognizing that younger generations primarily consume content on the platform rather than traditional television.
Reflecting on Past Experiences
Willoughby expressed that she misses her time on 'This Morning' and her colleagues, describing the 14 years as "incredible." She emphasized that the show was a significant part of her life and that she learned and grew during her tenure, having started at the age of 28. She spent several months after her departure focusing on family life before gradually returning to television work, including appearances on ITV's 'You Bet' and the Netflix reality show 'Bear Hunt.'
The new YouTube show is described as a glossier version of the lifestyle content seen on daytime television. It is sponsored by the online healthcare and weight-loss provider Voy. Willoughby will be presenting the show alone, a format she previously undertook for a remake of 'Cilla Black's Surprise Surprise' from 2012 to 2015. She conveyed a sense of liberation, stating, "I feel like I've just given birth!"
Willoughby acknowledged that she is not "everyone's cup of tea" but stated she does not fear public judgment, having experienced "real fear." The show's glossy presentation and its focus on lifestyle content, particularly in segments like 'Cook Together' and 'Hang Out Together,' could be seen as a direct evolution of the 'This Morning' format. Viewing figures for 'This Morning' have reportedly declined since Willoughby's departure, struggling to maintain the audiences of two to three million seen during her and co-host Philip Schofield's tenure.