HANGING out with her cool mates, knocking back bottles of fancy plonk and cocktails, Holly Willoughby looks a far cry from her days on the This Morning sofa.
Gone are the pretty floral dresses and prissy Miss perfect image associated with her time working with and in their place is a far edgier star.
Holly Willoughby, 45, is gearing up to return to the limelight on YouTube as part of her rebrandCredit: Getty
Holly’s new cool girl image includes knocking back cocktails and plonkCredit: Instagram
Mum-of-three Holly is now shunning ITV and all mainstream stationsCredit: Instagram
As she gears up to return to the limelight, we can reveal how has already raised eyebrows and industry sources are questioning just how far will go to stay relevant after a very difficult few years.
Once the golden girl of , mum-of-three Holly is now shunning the channel and indeed all mainstream stations and is on – and we’re told it’s all part of her new cool girl image.
Our insider explained: “Holly has been slowly shedding her This Morning self for a few years now and has been gradually letting the fans see the real her more and more.
“Once rarely posting on , Holly will now happily share her outfits, favourite tipples and days out with her very cool group of pals.
“When she was on her friendship with the likes of the Appleton sisters was kept on the down-low but now there’s no need for her to live up to a certain image.
“She has always been a at heart, but kept it very well hidden while on the daytime TV show.”
includes , , , and . They are known for being a very successful group of women who work as hard as they play.
They love nothing more than sinking some rose, going to gigs – last they went to – and having long boozy lunches.
Last summer Holly made sure she witnessed Oasis’ comeback, embracing the cool Britannia look, bucket hats and all.
And she’s been posting about it all, which many are convinced is part of Holly’s big plan to become even more relevant online.
It’s not just what she’s wearing or who she’s hanging out with though – fans have noticed how her language has changed and in recent months she’s been using the f word on her posts.
‘Cool and edgy’
When American hip hop group Salt-N-Pepa announced they would be performing in the UK, a delighted Holly squealed online: “Excuse my language but f**k, I’ve waited my whole life for this.”
The insider continued: “Holly would never have sworn online while she was on This Morning but is deliberately showing a different side to herself. She wants to be seen as cool and edgy.
“She was definitely keeping up appearances while on the show and can now finally be herself fully.”
Lets not forget this is the woman who famously appeared in The Street’s 2006 music video for When You Wasn’t Famous as a favour to her good mate and front man Mike Skinner and in 2019 she partied until the early hours at The Streets’ comeback gig afterparty at Brixton Academy with Nicole Appleton, wearing a T-shirt that read: “Good girls go to heaven, bad girls go backstage”.
Holly’s legendary drinking stamina has led to her being labelled a “robot” by pal Keith Lemon.
“Holly is a party animal. I’m a drinker, but I can’t keep up with her,” he told The Sun.
“She’s like a robot, she just throws [drink] down her neck and goes to work the next day. The next day for me is a total write-off.”
She has always been a party girl at heart, but kept it very well hidden while on the daytime TV show
Insider
Piers Morgan backed up his comments, admitting: “If I go to a party and Holly Willoughby is there, you know your liver is in for a caning, and you could end up in a career-ending situation. She’s a very dangerous lady. Very dangerous.”
It wasn’t just offscreen though – in 2016, she famously turned up to host This Morning still drunk and in the same clothes after celebrating their Best Daytime Show gong the night before. She was often partial to downing shots or testing booze when the opportunity arose on the show.
in 2023 amid a , rape and murder her.
Her departure after 14 years came just months after her co-host Phillip Schofield left the daytime show after an “unwise” .
It was an incredibly difficult time – her friendship with Phil was over. It’s claimed the disgraced host later accused Holly of betrayal, allegedly texting her: “You brought me down.”
Gone are the pretty floral dresses and prissy Miss perfect image associated with The This Morning hostCredit: Rex
Holly’s girl gang, here former All Saints star Nicole Appleton and record label boss Shiarra Bell, love nothing more than sinking some rose, going to gigs and having long boozy lunchesCredit: Instagram
Fans have also noticed how Holly’s language has changed and in recent months she’s been using the f wordCredit: Instagram
Married Phil even suggested she helped to orchestrate the star’s departure as the affair, and his brother Timothy’s subsequent trial for sex abuse, were both bad for her “brand”.
And it marked the end of her reign at ITV.
Our source said: “Holly has been through a lot, but she is now feeling more confident than ever and she’s ready to face the world and do things her way.
“She knows not everyone will love the new her, some of her older This Morning fans are used to her mumsy image and giggles but there will be no more of that. She’s just hoping her new venture takes off.”
‘Game-changer’
The Sun told how Holly’s comeback will see her .
She will start with a magazine show similar to This Morning – effectively marking the dawn of “Holly TV”.
She also has a production company on hand, Hungry Bear, which creates and and is run by her husband .
A TV insider said: “This is a massive game-changer for Holly and the wider industry because this show and her channel will be a threat to the main broadcasters, particularly This Morning and ITV.
“And if any of the big-name retailers could cherry-pick a presenter who’s an ideal figure to front it, then it is surely Holly.”
It’s definitely a bold move for the star which could alienate her loyal fanbase, but since This Morning she’s struggled to find her place.
She briefly fronted Bear Hunt for , but it .
She also hosted the reboot of You Bet! 14 months ago with pal . That too has now been shelved.
A lot is riding on Holly’s new plans but now she’s ditched her This Morning image she really thinks she has a shot at this
Source
But she hasn’t been on TV since last March’s final, which was also axed by ITV.
2025 wasn’t easy – disaster struck in August when . She did not attend the Lavender Hill magistrates’ court hearing, but pleaded guilty by post to driving without due care and attention in Barnes, South West London.
Holly, on court listings under her married name Baldwin, got six points on her licence and was fined £2,444, including court costs.
Her lawyer, Aisling Byrnes, said of the case: “She is extremely remorseful.”
In recent months, she has focused on her wellness firm, Wylde Moon, which was launched in 2021 as the UK’s answer to American actress Gwyneth Paltrow’s line.
But recent figures reveal the firm made less than £3,000 last year.
Our source added: “A lot is riding on Holly’s new plans but now she’s ditched her This Morning image she really thinks she has a shot at this.
“She’s determined to keep up with the new breed of celebs – the streamers and and her attitude is if people don’t like it – they can get lost.”
Holly and her friends went to Glastonbury last summerCredit: Instagram
Holly now happily shares her outfits on social mediaCredit: Instagram
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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