Holly Willoughby is reportedly in ‘no rush’ to return to work in time for Dancing On Ice‘s new series in January.
The TV host, 42, suddenly quit This Morning last week after 14 years when an alleged plot to kidnap and murder her was exposed.
In a statement the beloved star said she was stepping back ‘for my family’ leaving her future TV career and association with ITV in question.
But a source has now revealed to The Sun that the broadcaster has put ‘zero pressure’ on Holly to return to host DOI and are supporting her leave ‘as long as she needs’.
‘Everyone around her – family, friends and her team – all agreed that a really decent break from work would do her the power of good.
Easy does it: Holly Willoughby, 42, is reportedly in ‘no rush’ to return to work in time for Dancing On Ice’s new series in January (pictured in the show in February)
Exit: The TV host, suddenly quit This Morning last week after 14 years when an alleged plot to kidnap and murder her was exposed (pictured with former co-host Phillip Schofield in May)
‘ITV has assured her that there is zero pressure to be ready for Dancing on Ice even though she remains a much-loved part of the family.
Before going on to say: ‘After all, work begins on the skate show in December with shoots and promo, and nobody wants to place unrealistic expectations on Holly’s shoulders and have her feel she needs to rush back, especially because nobody knows how and when the court case will proceed’.
MailOnline have contacted Holly’s reps for comment.
The editor of This Morning found out Holly was quitting the show just 20 minutes before she announced her exit on Instagram.
Martin Frizell was left blindsided by his star presenter’s shock announcement – which caused some of the staff on the ITV show to breakdown in tears.
According to the Mail on Sunday, Holly turned to ITV’s head of daytime output Emma Gormley, over both the alleged plot against her as well as her future on the show.
In fact, despite Martin pinning his colours to Holly’s mast during her fall-out with Phillip Schofield — a long-standing friend of his — the television veteran only found out she was to quit the show a mere 20 minutes before Holly’s 8.5 million Instagram followers did.
Former GMTV editor Martin had received an unexpected phone call shortly before 5pm on Tuesday in which he was told his greatest asset was quitting.
Shock: The editor of This Morning found out Holly was quitting the show just 20 minutes before she announced her exit on Instagram
Surprise: Martin Frizell (left) was left blindsided by his star presenter’s shock announcement – which caused some of the staff on the ITV show to breakdown in tears (pictured with Holly and Phillip Schofield)
He also learned she had prepared an emotional statement in which she was about to reveal she was leaving the show for the sake of herself and her family following the much-publicised alleged kidnap plot.
Her words, which were put together entirely without the help of her one-time ‘rock’ Frizell, read: ‘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.
‘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.’
Martin — usually unflappable according to his colleagues — was stunned. He had been assured Holly would be staying with This Morning for the foreseeable future.
Indeed, she’d only just signed a new contract, which saw her annual pay increase from £700,000 to around £1 million.
End of an era: Former GMTV editor Frizell had received an unexpected phone call shortly before 5pm on Tuesday in which he was told his greatest asset was quitting
Resignation: The presenter took to Instagram to confirm she ‘will not be returning’ to the show
For Frizell, it was perhaps the worst possible way he could have parted company with Holly, the former golden girl of television.
Yet all his devoted attentions appeared to count for naught. ‘Despite Martin’s loyalty to Holly, he wasn’t in her inner sanctum when it really mattered,’ says a source close to the situation. ‘He sided with her throughout the difficulties with Phil and besides, it’s his show, but instead Holly dealt with Emma over it all.
‘Martin always spoke so highly of Holly. He adored her and he was extremely loyal.
‘It’s the talk of ITV that he was told so late on. It doesn’t exactly seem overly respectful. What a way to treat an editor.’
Meanwhile, Holly’s announcement also caused tears behind the scenes of the show.
The upset was not caused by Holly leaving however but the fact it was the latest bit of drama to happen on the set of the daytime show.
‘It has been one thing after another,’ a source said. ‘It’s like a soap opera and that’s OK if you’re one of the highly-paid stars getting chauffeured to work and back, but if you’re grafting behind the scenes to keep things afloat, it’s incredibly frustrating.
‘Holly decides to leave, she puts it on Instagram. Imagine how that makes you feel. There were tears. The team has been through so much in the last year. Many feel they are at the end of their tethers. It has been heartbreaking, and hard, to watch it all happen.’
That word ‘all’ refers to the seemingly endless controversies that have engulfed This Morning in the past year or so: last year Holly and her former co-star Phillip Schofield were accused of jumping the queue to see the late Queen lying in state at Westminster Hall, then fell out over how to respond to the accusation.
Then there was Phillip’s admission he’d had an affair with a much younger male runner working on the show — and lied about it.
Staff have also endured the pressure of being quizzed by external lawyer Jane Mulcahy KC about the alleged toxic working culture on the programme.
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