Holly Willoughby’s Dancing on Ice return ‘to spark major career change’ as she overhauls ‘Queen of Daytime TV’ image

HOLLY Willoughby is being tipped to relaunch her career as a solo star after ditching her 'Queen of Daytime' image on her TV comeback.

Experts say viewers saw a more grown-up, assertive Holly return to Dancing on Ice following a three-month break from TV - and predict she could end up with her own show. 

As she stepped out on Sunday night in a sequined dress reminiscent of Marilyn Monroe, Holly took the lead as the more senior presenter to Stephen Mulhern.

As one expert said: “The Disney princess version of Holly has been put on ice.”

Holly, 42, quit her presenting role on This Morning last October and disappeared from view in the wake of an alleged kidnap and murder plot.

It followed a tumultuous 13 months in which she and co-star Phillip Schofield were pilloried for not queuing to see the late Queen lying in state before he quit over an affair with a much younger colleague.

But PR experts say Holly’s comeback proves her mettle.

Brand and culture expert Nick Ede said: “There was a lot of anticipation about Holly’s return and having her back on our screens establishes her as a leading broadcaster in the UK.

“We didn’t miss Phillip and Holly didn’t need him. The on-screen chemistry with Stephen was really good. It felt like it was her show - she owned the rink.

“She’s not Queen of daytime TV anymore - it looks like she’s Queen of primetime.

“It felt like Holly had somehow matured and I can see her branching into more serious stuff now. 

“She’s always been able to do light entertainment with serious topics on This Morning and I can now see her doing documentaries or big sit-down interviews with stars, which would be really compelling viewing.

“Some people might have advised Holly not to do anything associated with Phillip, but she’s a big part of Dancing on Ice and she’s back where she belongs.”

Glow-up

Body language expert Judi James said Holly slid easily into Schofield’s role as the more serious presenter - despite a “suggestion of vulnerability” at the start of the programme.

She said: “Holly's body language and behaviour suggested she’d had a status glow-up rather than just a styling one.

“ITV might have cast Mulhern as the traditionally dominant, alpha male presenter, but the signals from Holly suggested she had in fact stepped up to the role Phillip Schofield would have taken in terms of leading the show.  

“It suggests a new evolution in Holly’s career, using presenting and status skills she has learned from Schofield.

“The wide-eyed, giggly Disney princess version of Holly seemed to have been put on ice like the celebrity skaters.

“She opened the show and she led the scenes while Mulhern provided the fall-guy laughs, acting more like the comedy turn while Holly kept the show on track.”

Moved away from 'blonde stereotype'

Judi said gone was Holly’s wide-eyed innocent look and her platinum hair was toned down in a move away from the “blonde stereotype.”

She said: “Holly has long cornered the market in pseudo-infantile, cute body language and it has been what has made her adorable to her fans.

“That wide-eyed look of gleaming innocence seems to have gone now though, having been subtly replaced by a more serious and authoritative look. 

“There might have been a suggestion of vulnerability when she stood hand in hand with Mulhern at the start of this first episode of Dancing on Ice but she soon launched into a rather statuesque and confident delivery.

“Her mic was held up close to her mouth, tilted the kind of angle that singers use to suggest she was the new star of the show, while one arm was held out to move in a splaying arc, as though greeting her legion of fans.

“She and Mulhern were clearly working up some on-screen chemistry but Holly’s signals of confidence increased when she was presenting alone, interviewing some of the celebrities.”

On-screen chemistry

Judi said taking time away from TV could have given Holly time to reflect on a career “blocked like a drain because Schofield showed no signs of budging” from This Morning until his dramatic departure in May 2023.

She said: “This could be Holly’s re-launch moment in more ways than one, with a move towards being taken more seriously in the future.”

Holly immediately stepped down from the This Morning role last year after a man was charged with soliciting murder and incitement to kidnap her.

In an emotional statement she said she was taking time away, writing: “This is such a difficult goodbye…sadly, however, I now feel I have to make this decision for me and my family.”

It came five months after Schofield quit over an “unwise but not illegal” affair with a younger male colleague.

He later admitted lying about the fling to his employers, colleagues, friends and family.

Holly told This Morning viewers how she felt “shaken, troubled and let down” over her co-presenters behaviour.

Brave return

Her pairing with Stephen Mulhern marks a reunion for presenters who worked together on ITV kids show Ministry of Mayhem in the mid-2000s.

PR guru Mark Borkowski said it must have been incredibly nerve-wracking for the mother-of-three to make her return to Dancing on Ice.

He said: “She’s been through a lot and it was good to see her back on the screen connecting with viewers.

“It can’t have been an easy thing to do but the fact she has returned shows what a professional she is.

“Unfortunately, her experiences show just what celebrities face.  When they are on TV, it’s easy to forget they are human beings with feelings and vulnerabilities.”