Holly Willoughby facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Holly Willoughby
Holly Willoughby in 2013
Born	Holly Marie Willoughby (1981-02-10) 10 February 1981 (age 44) Brighton, East Sussex, England
Education	Burgess Hill Girls The College of Richard Collyer
Occupation	Television presenter author model
Years active	2000–present
Employer	ITV BBC
Spouse(s)	Dan Baldwin ​ (m. 2007)​
Children	3

Holly Marie Willoughby (born on 10 February 1981) is a famous English television presenter, author, and model. She is well-known for hosting many popular TV shows on ITV. Some of her most famous shows include This Morning (from 2009 to 2023) and Dancing on Ice (from 2006 to 2011, and again from 2018 to the present).

From 2008 to 2020, Holly was a team captain on the comedy show Celebrity Juice on ITV2. She has also presented other shows like The Xtra Factor, The Voice UK, and I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!. Besides TV, Holly is also a brand ambassador for companies like Marks & Spencer and Garnier.

Early Life and First Steps

Growing Up in Brighton

Holly Willoughby was born in Brighton, East Sussex. She is the younger of two daughters. Her father, Brian, was a sales manager, and her mother, Linda, used to be an air stewardess.

Holly went to school at Burgess Hill Girls in Burgess Hill. Later, she studied at The College of Richard Collyer in Horsham.

Starting as a Model

When Holly was 14, in 1995, she was discovered by talent scouts. This happened at The Clothes Show Live exhibition. She then signed with a modeling agency called Storm Management.

Holly appeared in many popular magazines for teenagers. These included Mizz, Just Seventeen, Shout, and More!. By the time she was 17, in 1998, Holly began modeling for brands like Pretty Polly. You might have seen her in their advertisements and posters.

Holly's TV Career Journey

Early Days: Presenting for Kids

In 2000, Holly Willoughby got her first TV job. She won an audition for a show on CITV called S Club TV, which featured the pop group S Club 7. She also appeared in another S Club 7 show, playing a character named Zoe.

After some temporary jobs, Holly found work as an assistant manager. She then made a showreel (a video of her work) with a friend's help. This helped her get an agent who contacted the BBC. In 2002, Holly presented Xchange, a factual show for children. She also hosted other children's shows for CBBC, like X-perimental and CBBC at the Fame Academy.

Meeting Her Future Husband

Holly returned to CITV in 2004 to co-present Ministry of Mayhem. This popular entertainment show aired on Saturday mornings. It was on this show that she met Dan Baldwin, who was one of the show's producers and later became her husband.

In 2006, the show's name changed to Holly & Stephen's Saturday Showdown. This was to show how popular Holly and her co-presenter, Stephen Mulhern, had become.

Winning Awards and New Shows

In 2005, Holly presented Feel the Fear, a children's show where presenters faced scary challenges. She also filled in as a presenter for CD:UK for a short time. Because of her great work in children's television, Holly won a BAFTA Children's Award in 2006.

Moving to Primetime TV

Willoughby at the premiere of Happy Feet in 2006.

In 2006, Holly was chosen to co-present Dancing on Ice with Phillip Schofield. This show features celebrities learning ice-dancing with professional partners. Holly presented the show until 2011, then returned in 2018.

She also presented other ITV shows. These included Celebrity Wrestling: Bring It On and The Xtra Factor. In 2007, she hosted Streetmate, a dating game show. She also co-presented Holly & Fearne Go Dating with Fearne Cotton.

Since 2008, Holly was a team captain on the comedy show Celebrity Juice. She was on the show for 12 years before leaving in May 2020.

Hosting This Morning and More

Holly Willoughby on the set of This Morning in 2013.

In September 2009, Holly began co-presenting This Morning on ITV. She hosted the show with Phillip Schofield. They presented the show together from Monday to Thursday mornings. Holly left the show in October 2023 after more than 14 years.

Holly also co-presented the charity telethon Text Santa several times. In 2012, she started presenting The Voice UK with Reggie Yates. She left the show after two series. From 2012 to 2015, Holly hosted a new version of Surprise Surprise. She also presented the sports panel show Play to the Whistle from 2015 to 2017.

In 2016, Holly presented a Saturday night dating show called Meet the Parents. In 2018, she hosted I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! with Declan Donnelly. This was while his usual partner, Anthony McPartlin, took a break.

Writing Books and New Ventures

Holly has written a series of children's books with her sister, Kelly. Their first book, School for Stars: First Term at L'Etoile, was very popular. It became the UK's best-selling children's book in 2013.

Holly is a brand ambassador for companies like Marks & Spencer and Garnier. In September 2021, she started her own wellness and lifestyle brand called Wylde Moon.

In 2018, Holly and Phillip Schofield made a special appearance on the TV show Coronation Street. They played themselves, interviewing some of the characters on This Morning.

In 2025, Holly is set to present a new Netflix reality competition series. It will be called Celebrity Bear Hunt and will star Bear Grylls.

Public Discussions and TV Moments

Sometimes, TV shows and presenters become part of public discussions. In December 2019, Holly and Phillip Schofield interviewed then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson on This Morning. They also took a photo with him. Some viewers shared their thoughts about the interview and the photo.

In September 2022, This Morning offered to pay for energy bills as a prize in a game. This was during a time when many people were worried about their bills. Some viewers and public figures discussed whether this was an appropriate prize. The prize was later removed from the show.

Also in September 2022, during the time of Queen Elizabeth II's lying-in-state, Holly and Phillip Schofield were at Westminster Hall for filming. They did not join the public queue to see the Queen's coffin. ITV explained that they were there as part of the media, escorted by government staff. This led to some public discussion, especially as other famous people like David Beckham and Susanna Reid waited in the long public queue.

Personal Life

Holly Willoughby has dyslexia, which means she sometimes finds reading and writing more challenging. Her sister, Kelly, also works in television.

On 4 August 2007, Holly married Dan Baldwin. Dan is a co-founder of a company called Hungry Bear Media. He used to be a producer on Ministry of Mayhem. Holly and Dan live in London and have two sons and a daughter.

Since 2008, Holly has been a supporter of the charity Together for Short Lives. This charity helps children with life-limiting conditions.

Television Appearances

Film Appearances