Holly Willoughby, This Morning
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Holly Willoughby’s “gruelling” I’m A Celebrity schedule

12-hour days await Hols for the next few weeks

Holly Willoughby will experience her own challenges Down Under after it was revealed she is set to endure 12-hour working days during her time down under for I’m A Celebrity.

The This Morning host may be used to early starts and journeys to the studio to prepare for her usual job but her upcoming stint on the ITV reality series could prove really full on thanks to her 1.30am wake up alarm.

And even worse, the 37-year-old is unlikely to get too much time to enjoy soaking up the rays in Oz thanks to the time difference between there and the UK.

As soon as she finishes up with her filming commitments in the early afternoon, Holly will only have a few hours to spend time with her family and eat her last meal of the day before tucking herself up in bed at 6pm local time.

Holly will be joining Dec after Ant stepped away from TV to focus on his recovery (Credit: ITV/Wenn)

Read more: Holly Willoughby reveals final preparations ahead of her I’m A Celebrity stint

But fans of Hols needn’t worry about her missing out on her beauty sleep as it appears she will be pretty much be getting her eight hours of slumber in.

Talking to the Sun, an unnamed I’m A Celebrity source is quoted as rubbishing any idea Holly has bagged an easy gig as she fills in for Ant McPartlin alongside Declan Donnelly.

Noting she will have to be at the jungle camp and ready to go an hour after her alarm goes off, the report details how the hosts will be briefed about anything that has happened while they were getting their rest, as their working day begins.

The presenting pair will also have meetings and rehearsals on their plate before the show proper begins at 7am local time – with viewers watching live at home still enjoying their evening.

Read more: First I’m A Celebrity trailer revealed ahead of Holly Willoughby’s jungle debut

Once the show has aired, 90 minutes later there may be additional filming for the ITV2 spin-off show and then production for the Bush Tucker trials. The trials are said to take up another couple of hours until midday at least – and even as late as 2pm.

The source explained: “Viewers only see the finished product but in reality it takes ages to get ready for the trial – there are safety briefings, run throughs, health checks and various other things to make sure everything is perfect when the celebrity takes part – and Holly will have to be there for all of it.”

With dinner served at 4pm, that doesn’t leave much time for much of anything else – apart from husband Dan and kids Harry, Belle and Chester.

“Realistically Holly is likely to get around two hours of free time, which she’s said she’ll be spending with her family,” the source is said to have added.

Holly will be missed on This Morning (Credit: ITV)

“She’ll have dinner at 4pm and to go to bed at around 6pm to make sure she is fresh and raring to go the next morning as there are no days off.”

Having seen Holly recover from awards bashes to present This Morning as usual just hours after the party ended, we’ve every confidence she’ll tough it out and be an absolute star.

She’s a celebrity presenter… get her in there!

Holly Willoughby, The TV Choice Awards, Dorchester Hotel, London, UK
Don’t forget your corked hat! (Credit: Elliot / Splash News / SplashNews.com)

Until then, Hols is making the most of her downtime while she still has some – and has also been getting into the Christmas spirit.

Sharing a snap on Instagram of herself with pals including Nicole Appleton, she said: “Lovely lunch with my Gorgeous girls after a morning Christmas shopping at @clarencehouse … super proud as always to be a @princestrust ambassador.”

She also fired the starting gun for the festive season by revealing she has already tucked into her first mince pie.

“Too soon?” the star asked as she munched one in the back of a taxi.

I’m A Celebrity starts later this month.

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Robert Leigh
Freelance writer