It’s been a turbulent year for Holly Willoughby who, after enduring an unsettling time following the downfall of her former-co host and ex-best friend Phillip Schofield, escaped to Portugal to spend the summer with her husband Dan Baldwin and three children.
And last week, Holly shared a rare loved-up snap of her and Dan locking lips on a beach ahead of their 16th wedding anniversary.
The 42-year-old presenter – who’s usually notoriously private about her marriage – posted the romantic picture
on the Instagram page of her wellness brand, Wylde Moon, with a link to her blog, teasing, “Holly’s secrets to a happy marriage” and “More beautiful, intimate details about their wedding day.”
In her recent blog post, the mum-of-three – who shares Harry, 13, Belle, 11, and eight-year-old son, Chester, with Dan, 48 – wrote, “August happens to be the month I got married, so it’s always a nostalgic time for Dan and I.
“Every relationship is so unique and different; what works for one couple may not for another. Mine would have to be remembering to carve out real time for each other within the madness of everyday life; everything from making time to talk over dinner at home to date nights.”
Gushing about the 48-year-old TV producer, the Dancing On Ice host added, "Dan is always so romantic. He always checks 'the traditional anniversary gift list' and gets me a little something relevant.
"We both work really hard to make sure we spend time together, which isn't always easy with busy lives and three children.
"When we do have free time, we don't really like going away without the kids, but whenever we have taken time out for just us, like the 5-day trip to Italy we took for our 10th wedding anniversary, it was magical."
Holly's recent marriage confessions came as a surprise to many fans, since the star rarely opens up about her personal life.
And following the toughest few months in her 23-year-career – including the scandal which led to the shock departure of her long-time This Morning co-host and friend, Phillip, which left her presenting future hanging in the balance – pals say it's given Holly a newfound perspective on her marriage.
A source says, "Holly's come to rely on Dan more than ever over the last few months and understandably the stress
and turmoil she’s endured have had a knock-on effect on their marriage as well as her home life in general. It’s something she’ll always fight for as her marriage and family are the main priority in her life.
“Despite everything, Dan has remained her constant throughout – being the calm, supportive and understanding force she credits for keeping her together in her lowest and darkest moments which has ultimately made them stronger than ever and she vowed that nothing can break them.
“There have been times when Holly would snap at Dan and take out her upset and stress on him being the closest person to her, but ultimately he’s just loved and supported her even harder in those moments and has been her rock throughout everything.
“While she has always taken the stance of keeping her relationship private, the last few months have sparked a change of heart and it’s made her want to sing about Dan from the rooftops and share the magic of their relationship with the world.
“Dan is hugely romantic and they’re still madly in love which is no mean feat after 16 years together, so Holly is proud of that and wants everyone to know what an amazing husband he is. They still fancy the pants off each other and love nothing more than going out for romantic dinners together and making time for each other – whether it’s just to stay home and watch telly with a bag of popcorn or going on a long walk together to catch up and re-connect.”
After Phil, 61, dramatically admitted his affair with a younger male colleague in May, thousands of viewers called for Holly to be sacked from the show – accusing her of being aware of her pal’s secret, which she vehemently denies. But after insisting she knew nothing and turning her back on her former best friend, the defiant presenter has continued to put on a brave face in her efforts to restore the public’s faith in her and rebuild her tarnished reputation, which crisis management experts believed could be beyond repair.
Last week, insiders told Closer how the broody star – who’s made no secret of her longing for a fourth child – has put an end to her baby dream in her mission to focus on regaining her crown as TV’s golden girl.
And amid reports she is on the brink of signing a new lucrative deal with This Morning, pals say Holly credits Dan with helping her regain her confidence and instilling her with her fighting spirit.
The source adds, “Holly’s confidence and self-esteem has understandably been hit hard with everything that’s happened, but it’s thanks to Dan that she’s come back to face the world so bravely and defiantly.
“He’s championed her throughout everything and given her the courage to get back out there and fight for what she’s worked so hard for. If anything good has come out of this, it’s giving Holly time to reflect with her family and realise that as long as she has Dan and her children by her side, nothing else matters.”