Holly Willoughby confirmed that after 14 years, she would not be returning to This Morning.
The 42-year-old TV presenter opted to leave the daytime TV show after a gruelling few months. Most recently Holly was allegedly targeted in a kidnap plot which saw her take a break from the show.
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She stated her exit was made for herself and her family, and while she’s had the support from ITV and her colleagues, it’s going to cost the channel a whopping sum. The share price of ITV has already decreased by 0.61% overnight following her exit from This Morning.
According to industry data platform AltIndex, the drop on the stock market is estimated to have hit ITV’s value by a minimum of £20m. This is a further blow for ITV, who has seen their share price fall by 16% in the last six months.
(Image: ITV)
A spokesperson for AltIndex said: “Holly Willoughby’s This Morning exit has already hit ITV in the pocket with possibly further loss in revenue still to come.” They suggested sponsors and advertisers could reduce the amount of money they put into the show now that Holly has left.
Holly issued a statement to her Instagram followers on Tuesday night as she thanked everyone who has worked on the show. She added: “This is such a difficult goodbye, you are incredible and I forever will be proud of what we’ve done together.
(Image: ITV)
“Thank you to everyone at ITV for being supportive. To every guest who has sat on our sofa, thank you.”
She shared a special thanks to the “wonderful viewers” and praised them for their loyalty to the show. Holly added: “It’s been an honour to just be a part of its story and I know this story has many chapters left to go. Sadly, however, I now feel I have to make this decision for me and my family. I will miss you all so much.”
(Image: WireImage)
The TV star has been hit with a wave of support from her co-stars, with Alison Hammond writing on her post: “This is a very sad day! Love you.” While Dermot O’Leary said: “Nothing but love and respect for you and yours x.”
Holly’s exit comes five months after her former co-star, Phillip Schofield, left the show after reports of a feud with her. It was later confirmed that Phil would no longer be working with ITV after admitting to an affair he had previously denied.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
