Holly Willoughby

Early life

The younger of two daughters of Brian R. Willoughby, a sales manager of a double-glazing company, and his wife Linda J. (née Fleming), an air stewardess , Willoughby was educated at the independent Burgess Hill Girls in the town of Burgess Hill in West Sussex, and the College of Richard Collyer in Horsham.

In 1995, at the age of 14, Willoughby was spotted by talent scouts at The Clothes Show Live exhibition. Storm Model Management signed her up. She appeared in teen magazines for girls such as Mizz, Just Seventeen and More!. From 1998, at the age of 17, Willoughby started modelling underwear for clients including Pretty Polly appearing in advertisements and posters.

Children's presenting

In 2000, Willoughby won an audition for a show on CITV featuring S Club 7 called S Club TV. In this show actors represented an alternative S Club. She also appeared in a show called S Club 7: Artistic Differences playing a character called Zoe with the regular members of the band. Willoughby worked as a receptionist for a while and then as a runner for the defunct shopping channel Auction World TV.

Willoughby also took on menial jobs and started an Open University course in psychotherapy. Then eventually, she found work as assistant manager during which time she persuaded a friend to make a showreel of her. This secured her an agent who then contacted the BBC. Later in 2000, Willoughby presented a factual entertainment programme for children called Xchange and went on to host several other children's shows for CBBC: X-perimental and CBBC at the Fame Academy (CBBC's version of the BBC talent show Fame Academy).

Willoughby's first role as a children's entertainer came when she rejoined CITV in 2004 to co-present their entertainment show Ministry of Mayhem which aired on Saturday mornings. On this programme she met her future husband Dan Baldwin, one of the show's producers. In 2006, the show's title was changed to Holly & Stephen's Saturday Showdown in order to reflect the popularity of its co-presenters, Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern.

In 2005, Willoughby presented Feel the Fear, a children's entertainment programme in which the presenters are set unnerving challenges. She has also had a number of minor appearances on other children's programmes. She co-presented the final of the children's version of Stars in Their Eyes in 2004. Willoughby presented CD:UK for a short while in the spring of 2005, replacing Cat Deeley before Myleene Klass, Lauren Laverne and Johny Pitts became the regular presenters. In recognition of work as a children's television presenter, Willoughby won a BAFTA in 2006.

2006–2008

In 2006 she was chosen to co-present with Phillip Schofield, the television show Dancing on Ice, where celebrities are partnered with professional dancers to learn ice-dancing routines which are judged by a panel of experts and voted on by the public. Willoughby remained in the role until 2011 due to new commitments. Willoughby has presented a number of other ITV programmes, including spin-off shows such as Celebrity Wrestling: Bring It On in 2005, Greased Lightnin' in 2007 and The Xtra Factor for two years in 2008 and 2009.

In 2007, she took over from Davina McCall as the presenter of Streetmate, a dating game show during its transition from Channel 4 to ITV2. Willoughby hosted the show for its final series. In the same year, Willoughby co-presented Holly & Fearne Go Dating with Fearne Cotton. The show saw the two hosts attempt to find dates for single people that they meet around the UK. Since 2008, Willoughby has appeared as a team captain on Celebrity Juice, presenting series 1-11 and 13 (taking a break in series 12 due to maternity leave) hosted by Keith Lemon and stars fellow team captain Fearne Cotton.

2009–present

Willoughby has co-presented ITV's This Morning with Phillip Schofield since September 2009 replacing Fern Britton. Willoughby and Schofield present the programme from Monday to Thursday mornings with Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes co-hosting on Fridays.

In 2011, Willoughby co-presented charity telethon Text Santa with Ant & Dec. She returned to co-host the show with Phillip Schofield in 2012, 2013 and 2015.

On 24 March 2012, Willoughby began presenting The Voice UK with Reggie Yates. She decided to leave the show after the second series and was replaced by Emma Willis in 2014.

In 2012, Willoughby began hosting a revived version of Surprise Surprise. A second series began airing on 15 September 2013, a third on 22 October 2014 and a fourth on 21 June 2015.

Since 2015, Willoughby has presented sports-based panel show Play to the Whistle on ITV. The first series aired for seven episodes beginning on 11 April 2015. A second series aired for six episodes, beginning in April 2016.

In 2016, Willoughby presented primetime Saturday night dating show Meet the Parents for ITV. The show has been compared to Blind Date. In October 2016, Willoughby admitted to taking part in a special Halloween episode of Celebrity Juice dressed as Harley Quinn while intoxicated.

In August 2017, it was reported Willoughby has received a £200,000 pay rise to match the salary of her co-host Phillip Schofield.

Personal life

Willoughby is dyslexic. Her sister, Kelly, also works in the television industry.

On 4 August 2007, Willoughby married Dan Baldwin, a producer on Ministry of Mayhem. Their first child was born on 11 May 2009. Their second child on 14 April 2011. Their third child was born on 29 September 2014.

In 2008, Willoughby became a patron of the charity Together for Short Lives.

Guest appearances