Following an intense few weeks, Holly Willoughby was all smiles on This Morning last week, after a boost from her and Phil’s win at the NTAs earlier this month.
But insiders say that behind-the-scenes, Holly is still struggling with the backlash after “Queuegate” and wondering who, if anyone, she can trust.
And to add to her woes, husband Dan Baldwin’s TV production company has been forced to let go of almost half its workforce and recorded losses of £1.6million. The firm, Hungry Bear Media, was formed in 2014 and created shows including Freeze The Fear, which Holly hosted earlier this year.
A source says, “This latest crisis has left Holly upset for Dan and reflective about their future TV projects. It hasn’t come at a great time, as she feels her comfortable work environment at This Morning has been totally rocked with all that’s gone on in recent months. It’s sad that it’s come to this, and Holly is bitterly disappointed with the way things have been handled since Queuegate. She is keeping her friends close and her enemies closer.
“At the end of the day, she’s put her heart and soul into her job at This Morning and it still feels as though people are out to get her. Right now the mood is as if there’s a massive Cold War going on behind the scenes. She and Phil are steering the ship, but it remains unclear who is actually supporting them and whether anybody working there feels it’s time to have some new leaders on screen.”
Holly, 41, and Phil, 60 – who are one of UK TV’s most highly-paid duos – saw their popularity plummet after they were accused of using their fame to jump the lengthy queue to see Queen Elizabeth II lying-in-state. The ordeal opened them up to an onslaught of criticism, with outraged viewers going so far as petitioning to see them axed from the show.
The pair denied any wrongdoing, saying it was for “broadcasting” reasons. Accredited journalists were escorted to an area at the back of the hall where they could gather material for a set time. However, sources close to the This Morning crew revealed that Holly was “devastated”, had contacted her lawyers over the “damaging” claims, and even held “crisis talks” with ITV bosses.
And now our insider says Holly has been left on edge about who is really on her side.
The source says, “Queuegate has taught her that no matter how supported you feel within a TV family environment, people can turn on you in an instant. That’s been really upsetting for her. She’s not naming names but there are a few people both on and off camera that Holly doesn’t trust any more. It’s created an awkward atmosphere in the workplace but she’s doing her best to get the job done and rise above the drama – not to mention, the mole who leaked information about her movements behind-the-scenes at This Morning.
“What it boils down to is that Holly doesn’t think she can really trust anyone but herself and her team. She’d always looked at the show like her extended family, with Phil as her TV husband. Now even their dynamic has been damaged by the whole saga and has sadly made Holly feel that the only person she can rely on is herself.”
Holly and Phil have worked together for 15 years, but recently the mum-of-three has been carving out her own path with a string of individual projects. She’s presented Freeze The Fear With Wim Hof – a show created by Hungry Bear Media – as well as launched her own wellness brand called Wylde Moon, which sells everything from jewellery and perfume, to wax melts and candles.
The star also launched her own management agency, which preceded a bitter battle with her former agents after a “sunset clause” left them demanding a cut of Holly’s future earnings, before an out-of-court settlement saw the presenter reportedly take home an impressive fee.
And now insiders say that the recent legal drama and public backlash has made Holly much more thick-skinned – and has made her realise she must protect herself and her brand.
The source says, “Holly is really hoping to come out of all of this stronger. It’s not in her nature to be an ice queen, and she doesn’t want to treat anyone badly. She’s just had to change the way she is at work to make sure she’s protecting herself and her own personal brand. She’s learned that she can’t rely on the show as her main career path, and it’s made her more determined to distance herself from always being seen as the Queen of Daytime.
“Holly feels her smartest move right now could be setting herself up to leave the show with an exit plan in place should anything like this ever happen again. She wants to be prepared next time she feels as though people at work are throwing her under the bus, because she doesn’t want to become the scapegoat and suffer a massive public teardown like the one she and Phil have just received.”