Holly Willoughby at the Dancing On Ice Launch Showcase at the Natural History Museum Ice Rink, Kensington, London
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Holly Willoughby confirms she’s not returning to I’m A Celebrity next year

She was a hit on the show this year

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Holly Willoughby has revealed she won’t be returning to host I’m A Celebrity next year.

The This Morning presenter filled in for Ant McPartlin alongside Dec Donnelly for this year’s series and became a hit with the majority of viewers.

However, speaking at the Dancing On Ice launch on Tuesday, Holly called her stint on the show “a one-off, once in a lifetime adventure”.

Holly Willoughby and Dec Donnelly on IAC
Holly said she’ll be watching next year’s I’m A Celebrity from her sofa (Credit: ITV)

Read more: Holly Willoughby’s innocent family pic sparks parenting debate

She said via The Sun: “It was a one-off, once in a lifetime adventure. I’ll be at home with everyone else having a glass of wine watching it.

“That was the thing I was most jealous of. Here I am standing here while you’re all drinking red wine at home in front of the fire and I’m in the rain in the jungle.”

It comes after bookies said Holly was odds-on favourite to return alongside Ant and Dec next year, with Betfair’s Alan Alger saying: “The newly formed duo are our even money favourites to present the show in 2019, with Dec’s regular on-screen partner 7/4 to make it a three-way line-up.”

I'm a celeb holly dec
Holly called her stint on the show “a one-off, once in a lifetime adventure” (Credit: ITV)

However Holly’s This Morning co-host Phillip Schofield wasn’t keen on losing his “telly wife” again next year and dismissed claims of a return, insisting her role was as a “caretaker”.

He also joked to the Daily Star: “Don’t get too attached.”

Holly is set to return to This Morning next month while Dancing On Ice will return to screens on January 5.

At the weekend, ITV responded to reports that Holly may leave This Morning and triple her estimated £11m fortune with an all-new show.

Holly and Phil on This Morning
Holly will return to This Morning next month (Credit: ITV)

Read more: ITV responds to report Holly Willoughby is quitting This Morning after jungle success

According to The Mirror, a TV insider claimed that producers are looking to give Holly her own primetime programme, confident on the back of her I’m A Celebrity performance that she’ll be able to do “a fantastic job”.

Another source told the paper: “Bosses think they’ve struck gold with Holly. She has huge support.”

Speaking to The Sun, a spokesperson for the broadcaster said the reports are “simply not true”, adding that there have been “no conversations” about Holly leaving.

Are you looking forward to the new series of Dancing On Ice? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think!


Rebecca Carter
Associate Editor (News)

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