Holly Willoughby is one of Britain’s most beloved presenters today, fronting This Morning and Dancing On Ice with her longtime collaborator Phillip Schofield.
However, the 40-year-old cut her teeth on a very different show, rising to fame as the host of Ministry of Mayhem with Stephen Mulhern.
The presenting double act were in their early 20s when the show first launched, filling the slot made by the finale of Ant and Dec’s SMTV: Live.
Running between 2004 and 2006, the kids’ show saw Holly and Stephen interview celebrities, dress up in costumes, and host live competitions.
With the hosts playing a heap of different characters, they also battled out games like Spelling Smackdown, Name that Tone and Supermarket Sneak.
Produced before the launch of Twitter, the show aired during a golden era of telly, with questionable antics that wouldn’t make the cut on shows of today.
Below, we take a look at some of Holly’s most stand-out moments from her time on the show, from wardrobe mishaps to mistletoe kisses.
Polly with the trolley
Holly transformed into “Polly with the trolley” for the interview
Back when Cheryl was Cheryl Tweedy, the Girls Aloud singer appeared on Ministry of Mayhem, only to meet Holly’s alter ego – “Polly with the trolley”.
Wearing a black wig, fishnet tights and a French maid’s uniform, Holly transformed for the interview, putting on a cockney accent.
Getting into the character, as soon as she arrived on-set she issued a flirty remark to her co-host Stephen, saying: “Ooh I like this one!”
She then scolded Cheryl for failing to chuck her pie far enough in the pie slinging competition, calling the singer: “Tweedy pie.”
It’s Britney
Holly Willoughby flashed her stomach to show off the drawing on Ministry of Mayhem (Image: itv)
Another episode saw Holly take inspiration from the queen that is Britney Spears, donning a schoolgirl uniform akin to that of the Oops… I Did It Again music video.
While filming, Holly hoisted her white blouse up, showing off her stomach, which had been scribbled with a drawing.
The skit was based on the illustration, which was apparently meant to be a drawing of McFly’s Dougie Poynter.
At the time, she asked Stephen: “I’ve had a little go myself and see if you can tell who this is?”
Wriggling her tum, she added: “I can make him come to life, I can make him move.”
Stephen failed to guess who had inspired the sketch, but when Holly revealed it to be the McFly heartthrob, he replied: “I didn’t realise Dougie had a goatee!”
Accidental flash
Holly managed to recover as she adjusted her top (Image: ITV)
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Holly has branded one blunder from her Ministry of Mayhem years as her “most embarrassing moment” of all time as a presenter.
It all kicked off when Holly and Stephen were instructed to dance as part of the show, breaking out into a groove in the studio.
Unfortunately, Holly’s strappy top slipped off one shoulder, accidentally exposing her breast before the cameras.
The perils of live television resulted in a nightmarish situation for Holly, who has made sure to wear “an earthquake-proof bra” ever since.
Reflecting on the mishap, she said: “That was probably my most embarrassing moment on TV.”
Mrs Claus
Holly dressed up in a festive costume for the Ministry of Mayhem Christmas special (Image: REX/Shutterstock)
One of the most bizarre moments of Ministry of Mayhem history came when Stephen and Holly shared two awkward kisses for a Christmas special.
Marking the festive season, Holly dressed up as Mrs Claus for one episode, donning a red and white minidress with a black belt and thigh-high boots.
Her co-star Stephen gifted her a green elf’s hat, complete with a sprig of mistletoe attached to one end.
Unwrapping the present, she remarked: “Hurray for me! I can kiss all of the boys in the world all of the time.”
“It is the season to kiss Holly fa la la la la”, she sang, humming along in the tune to Deck The Halls.
In a scene that wouldn’t fly today, Stephen then kissed her, only for Holly to say: “Don’t wear my lips out, I am going to be kissing Anthony from Blue soon.”
When he did it again, she tore off the hat and remarked: “Right, that does it! I am taking this off – and you are definitely on the naughty list.”
Water fight
Holly’s co-stars tipped a bucket of water over her head during the scene
Another creative sketch from the show saw Holly dress up in a grass skirt and bikini, completely unaware she was about to fall victim to a prank.
The mum-of-three had been instructed to do a piece to camera, inviting viewers to call in for a giveaway.
Unfortunately, her co-stars turned on her and chucked a bucket of water over her head as she spoke to the camera, leaving her drenched.
Holly took the joke on the chin, and carried on the segment with a smile on her face.
After, she could be heard shouting: “Get me a towel.”
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
