Holly Willoughby bursts into tears as she breaks silence on 'tough year'

By Leah Stanfield, Assistant Showbiz Editor

Holly Willoughby has broken her silence on her year of hell. (Image: ITV)

Holly Willoughby broke down in tears as she discussed her exit from This Morning for the first time. The presenter quit the ITV show in October 2023 after discovering there was a plot to kidnap and murder her.

In a new interview, Holly said through tears that it had been a "tough year" and added that it was an "easy" decision to leave the show she had presented for 14 years.

She said: "I wouldn’t wish what happened to me on anybody at all — sometimes things go wrong, but you have to keep going for it because that’s all you can do.”

Security guard Gavin Plumb was sentenced to life in prison in July 2024 after plotting an attack on Holly, 43, since 2021. The 37-year-old had developed a sinister obsession with the TV star and plotted to abduct her from her family home before attacking and killing her.

An undercover police officer thwarted his plot, and he was arrested in October 2023. Days later, Holly announced her departure from This Morning for "me and my family".

Asked whether she feels like a survivor, Holly told The Sunday Times: "Nothing can prepare you for something like that. When something like that happens, you have a decision to make. You either decide, right, I can take this on board and it can absolutely affect all aspects of my life. Or I can make a choice to go, let’s focus on everything that’s positive and good, all those important things. I’m healthy and I’m happy.

"I’ve got a wonderful husband and children and family, I’ve got great friends. You have to go: I choose to positively move forward and rely on all those people — the police, the court, the judge, the jury — all those people to do their role. And that’s what I had to do.”

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