Last week it emerged that Holly Willoughby will be returning to our screens, hosting a new TV show this autumn. And now insiders tell Closer that the star – who stepped away from the spotlight last October following a terrifying kidnap plot and the shocking scandal involving long-term co-host Phillip Schofield – is feeling excited to return to TV and in a much better headspace, all thanks to pal Bear Grylls.
A source says, “Holly is feeling excited for the next chapter in her life after everything that happened. She’s turned a corner and heading out to Costa Rica really helped her. Bear encouraged her to practise meditation and breath work and it’s really helped with restoring her positive outlook.
“This last year she has had so many out-of-body experiences, where she’s wondered if this is really happening or she was in a parallel universe. For quite a period it felt that there was nothing but darkness, but now she has literally found the light.”
Holly, 43, and Bear, 50, have spent time together recently after landing a major job with Netflix that saw her jetting off to Costa Rica in May to film for the survivalist’s new show, Bear Hunt.
Prior to that, Holly had been embroiled in another scandal when it emerged her co-host Phil quit after he admitted to lying about an “unwise but not illegal” affair with a younger male colleague on the daytime show.
While she starred on Dancing On Iceas per usual in January, Holly has since stayed away from the screen and spotlight, avoiding red-carpet events and staying quieter on social media.
But insiders tell Closer that being out in Costa Rica and spending time with famously spiritual Bear has been instrumental in healing her anxieties over the past 18 months.
Bear has launched his own meditation app, and has always been in touch with his feelings. He previously said, “What works for me is getting outside and getting sun on my face in the morning, having a cold shower, doing meditation, finding time to walk with bare feet outside.”
A source says, “Holly’s always said she’s an absolute hippie at heart, and practising meditation has really helped her heal. She’s told friends she now realises that challenges let you know you are alive: the key is not letting them bury you. After the storm comes the calm, and she now doesn't feel anger, but pity for those who feel the need to hurt and upset others. She has found peace in forgiveness.
“She also knows just how important the work and family life balance is to her. Her family time is her time to recharge her social batteries and it’s when she’s happiest, so she has – and will – continue to prioritise that.”
This new outlook may also have influenced Holly’s decision to return to ITV, something she’s only done for Dancing On Ice since quitting This Morning. Last week, it was announced that Holly would be reuniting with her DOI co-host Stephen Mulhern this autumn for two episodes of the iconic challenge show You Bet!
The show, which first aired in the UK in the ’80s and ’90s, has been given a new update, as members of the public pull off outrageous challenges while a panel of celebrities – and the audience – bet on the challengers.
As the news was announced, Holly said that she was “so excited” to be returning to the show.
The insider adds, “Holly wants the world to be a happy, harmonious place, and struggles putting herself first.
“Very few people know how much these past couple of years have set her back and how much privately she’s struggled, but now she's really back to feeling her best. She says that she feels free from emotional turmoil and anxiety for the first time in what feels like an eternity. She can’t wait to return to doing what she loves with the tools she needs to make sure she maintains a balance between work and family. She’s excited for this next chapter.”