Holly Willoughby's Quiet Response to Public Backlash: Is She Giving in to Pressure?

HOLLY Willoughby’s long-awaited TV comeback was supposed to mark the beginning of a fresh new chapter but within days it had descended into a PR headache over her controversial partnership with health firm, Voy.

Now I can reveal there’s a subtle clue and her team have changed tack behind the scenes – but unless you were paying very close attention, it could have easily been missed.

Holly’s new YouTube venture launched in partnership with health firm Voy – but the sponsorship has sparked fierce backlash Credit: PA Holly kicked off her new series with fan favourite Stanley Tucci, but critcs branded the launch as “cringe” and questioned the Voy tie-up Credit: Together with Voy

The criticism to her new venture came thick and fast.

Some fans branded her new show “cringe”, likened it to ‘s much-mocked lifestyle series – and questioned why one of Britain’s most trusted TV presenters had chosen to put her name alongside a company repeatedly reprimanded by regulators.

Holly’s return to screens is being whose parent company Menwell has been rapped six times in just over two years for breaching advertising rules surrounding prescription medicines.

Marketing experts even warned the partnership risked damaging the carefully protected reputation Holly has spent decades building.

. After all, this is the project Holly hopes will relaunch her career after some of the toughest years of her life.

Following her departure from in 2023 after ‘s scandal engulfed the show, the terrifying kidnap plot against her and the cancellation of Dancing On Ice and Celebrity Bear Hunt, Together represents Holly’s biggest gamble yet.

The glossy lifestyle series, inspired by conversations around the family dinner table with husband Dan Baldwin and their three children, is designed to showcase a softer, more personal Holly.

It even boasts a string of high-profile celebrity guests, including Stanley Tucci, and .

But it isn’t the guests people have been talking about – it’s the controversial nature of the show’s sponsor Voy.

And Holly has already altered one of the biggest parts of the launch.

When the series was first unveiled, it premiered under the title ‘Holly Willoughby Together With Voy’.

Fast forward a matter of days, however, if you now visit Holly’s YouTube channel, the title has been updated – and simply reads ‘Holly Willoughby Together’.

Those two little words –“With Voy” – have disappeared. It’s a tiny tweak that most viewers probably won’t even notice. But in branding terms, it feels hugely significant.

Voy branding still appears prominently in the channel artwork and promotional banners, making it clear the partnership remains in place.

But removing the company from the official title instantly softens the association.

The timing, though, is certainly eyebrow-raising, suggesting it was a response to the backlash received from viewers – especially given the criticism surrounding Voy has shown little sign of dying down.

The company reported revenues of £104.4million last year and has grown rapidly since launching in 2018. But alongside that growth has come repeated regulatory scrutiny.

Since March 2024, the Advertising Standards Authority has ordered Menwell to amend or remove three adverts, while the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has ordered a further three to be deleted.

Meanwhile, other investigations remain ongoing. Earlier this year, promoting Voy’s prescription-only treatments on were also found to have breached strict advertising rules. Other notable personalities promoting the brand include Davina McCall and Vanessa Feltz.

Marketing expert Alex Williams described Holly’s partnership as “astonishing”.

it was incredible someone of Holly’s profile had aligned herself with a company that had repeatedly breached advertising rules, warning the association could “weaken her personal brand”.

PR consultant Mark Borkowski was equally blunt – he argued Holly “needs people around her to protect her from this sort of thing”, pointing out YouTube operates very differently to heavily regulated broadcasters like .

He continued that while Holly was likely focused on creating the programme itself, somebody should have been “looking under the bonnet” of the sponsorship deal.

, Holly enthusiastically promotes Voy, describing its healthcare as “truly effective” before directing viewers towards the company’s website.

The subtle clue? Holly’s channel has dropped “With Voy” from the show title – with the channel being rebranded to simply ‘Holly Willoughby Together,’ as pictured above Credit: supplied The presenter is hoping together will relaunch her career – but so far the venture has found itself at the centre of controversy Credit: Holly Willoughby Together With V

Additionally, in the promotional advert, she says Voy felt like a “natural founding partner” because of its work across weight loss, menopause, hormones, hair loss and preventative health.

The partnership is clearly central to the programme’s commercial model, which is why the change feels so fascinating.

Representatives have insisted there is no crisis surrounding the launch and say the series will continue exactly as planned.

Future episodes are already lined up, with the TV presenter sitting down next with campaigner Ellen Roome to discuss online safety after the tragic death of her son Jools.

Voy, meanwhile, maintains it has worked constructively with regulators and remains committed to improving access to healthcare.

Both Holly and Voy’s representatives were contacted for comment.