Holly Willoughby’s rise from children’s presenter as she quits This Morning

Holly Willoughby has presented This Morning for 14 years, but today has announced she is stepping down from her time as the popular daytime TV host with immediate effect.

The TV star took to Instagram on Tuesday afternoon, 10 October, to announce her resignation from the show. In a statement, she wrote: "I have let ITV know today that after 14 years, I will not be returning to This Morning.

"To everyone who has ever worked on the show over the years, thank you so much. 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."

Holly went on to pay a special tribute to viewers at home who had supported her during her career so far and to former hosts Richard Madeley and Judy Finnegan.

As Holly shares the immediate departure from This Morning, let's take a look back at where her TV career began.

Holly, 42, first entered the limelight when she was scouted by a modelling agency as a teenager before starting to appear on screen in the noughties when she starred in CITV show S Club TV, a spin-off drama based on the lives of pop group S Club 7.

Further TV shows she hosted at the time included the children's game show Xchange on the BBC and she also starred in the children’s version of talent show Fame Academy.

In 2004, she made the move to ITV, presenting the Saturday morning children's show Ministry Of Mayhem alongside Stephen Mulhern.

She took over from Cat Deeley on the children's music chart show CD:UK in 2005 before ITV bosses handed her a presenting slot on the newly launched Dancing On Ice in 2006, where she hosted with Phillip Schofield for the first time.

At the time, the pair’s on-screen warm chemistry provided a glimpse into what was to come on This Morning, which they began to present together in 2009 after Fern Britton left.

Holly and Phil were once good friends and earned BAFTAs and National Television Awards gongs for This Morning.

In 2016, they famously appeared on air in the outfits they had worn the previous night at the NTAs and shared stories with viewers from a raucous after-party hosted by Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly.

The presenters’ close bond appeared to be cemented even further in 2020 after Phillip came out as gay in an emotional on-air chat with Holly, who also appeared on screen with Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes.

He later thanked Willoughby and said he “couldn’t have done that with anyone else… sitting by the side of me”.

However, their partnership was in rocky waters earlier this year due to Phillip's "unwise, but not illegal' affair with a younger male colleague which saw him bow out.

Speculation also mounted that they were feuding on set and barely speaking to each other, leading to tension in the ITV studios.

After a turbulent year, Holly has now stepped down from her role on This Morning where she has presented for the past 14 years.

Most recently, Holly was placed on "indefinite leave" by This Morning, following an alleged plot to 'kidnap and murder' her.

The man accused of the plot, Gavin Plumb appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates Court on Friday, 6 October, charged with soliciting to commit murder and incitement to commit kidnap. Essex Police confirmed they arrested the suspect on Wednesday evening, and he was charged on Friday morning.

Holly has three children, Belle, Harry and Chester, with husband Daniel Baldwin, who she married in 2007.

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