Holly Willoughby set for huge payday as ITV offer her THREE new series in bid to keep their ‘golden girl’
HOLLY WILLOUGHBY is back hosting Dancing On Ice this weekend — and she is also set to earn £1million from ITV after it lined up a trio of new shows for her.
Channel chiefs are poised to offer the deals over the next 12 months as they are keen to keep the former This Morning host as their “golden girl”.
The lucrative proposal will start with bosses giving Holly, 43, a full series of challenge show You Bet! which she rebooted last year with two specials alongside her DOI co-host Stephen Mulhern.
That could lead to them giving her another big Saturday night entertainment show, and there is potential for her to get a game show or quiz too.
A TV insider said: “ITV chiefs are attempting to future-proof their relationship with Holly, who they very much see as having launched and nurtured her career on the network.
“But they also understand she has earned her place as one of Britain’s biggest TV stars, and inevitably rivals will make her offers — so they feel they have to tempt her to stay.
“Of course, it’s entirely up to Holly if she takes up ITV’s deal or starts to consider her options elsewhere.”
A spokeswoman for ITV declined to comment.
Netflix has already enlisted Holly to front Celebrity Bear Hunt, which features adventurer Bear Grylls chasing a line-up of famous names in the Costa Rican jungle.
The new show will begin streaming next month — and if it is a success Holly is expected to be offered a second series, likely to start filming later this year.
From 2019 to 2022 she made game show Take Off With Bradley & Holly and celebrity reality TV programme Freeze The Fear With Wim Hof for BBC One.
But she has not fronted anything for the corporation since.
Holly has been beset with two crises over the past couple of years.
Her very public falling out with This Morning co-host Phillip Schofield ended with him leaving the show in May 2023.
She also stepped down from presenting work entirely after discovering a plot to kidnap and murder her later that year.
But after the dust settled on 12 months of upset on the daytime TV show, it was announced in 2024 that she would co-present an update of classic Nineties game show You Bet! on a Saturday night for ITV1.
First, though, Holly is returning to Dancing On Ice, a series she has presented, on and off, since 2006 — and much of that time she had her This Morning partner Phillip Schofield by her side.
Last year, 3.2milion viewers tuned in to see Coronation Street actor Ryan Thomas and his pro partner Amani Fancy triumph, with Made In Chelsea star Miles Nazaire in second place and broadcaster Adele Roberts third.
But there are rumours this year’s run — the 17th — could be its last, although producers insist no decision has been made.
Every series is assessed on its individual merits once the final is over.
Holly’s long-time pal Stephen replaced Phillip on Dancing On Ice last year — and he is returning for the upcoming series.
Oti Mabuse, Ashley Banjo, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean will all be back on the “ice panel” to judge a new line-up of celebrities who are hoping to impress.
- Dancing On Ice begins Sunday at 6.30pm on ITV1.