She has returned to the spotlight after a year’s break from TV, but Holly Willoughby has opened up about the challenges that came with being back at home.

The presenter, 43, took some time away from screens and the red carpet, aside from her role on Dancing On Ice, after a ‘graphic’ kidnap and murder plot against her was revealed.

She made her red carpet return back in September for the National Television Awards, before joining Stephen Mulhern on the revived game show You Bet! in December and hosts the upcoming Celebrity Bear Hunt on Netflix.

But Holly’s year away from TV saw her find a new role as a stay-at-home-mum – something she told The Sunday Times.

The former This Morning host said it was challenging being home alone and not speaking to anyone all day, as she would want to chat to her kids – Harry, 15, Chester, 10, and Belle, 13 – when they got back from school but they’d be ‘exhausted’.

‘It’s been sh** for all of us, we’ve had to get used to how each other works again, you know?’ she said.

She has returned to the spotlight after a year's break from TV, but Holly Willoughby has opened up about the challenges that came with being back at home (Pictured with husband Dan Baldwin in 2023)
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She has returned to the spotlight after a year’s break from TV, but Holly Willoughby has opened up about the challenges that came with being back at home (Pictured with husband Dan Baldwin in 2023)

The presenter said it was challenging being home alone and not speaking to anyone all day, as she would want to chat to her kids - Harry, 15, Chester, 10, and Belle, 13 (pictured) - when they got back from school but they'd be 'exhausted'
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The presenter said it was challenging being home alone and not speaking to anyone all day, as she would want to chat to her kids – Harry, 15, Chester, 10, and Belle, 13 (pictured) – when they got back from school but they’d be ‘exhausted’

‘Don’t get me wrong, the kids, to begin with when I was at home a lot, they’d walk through the door and I’d be like, “So? What happened?” because I hadn’t spoken to anyone [all day].

‘Normally I’m at work and absolutely knackered, and so I’m like, “All right kids?” and they’re like, “All right Mum,” and that’s it – and suddenly I was, “So, what happened today?” They were like, “Mum, just because you’ve been at home all day — we’ve been at school, we’re exhausted”.’

Holly revealed she loved being able to return to doing the school run, something she knows other parents must have been jealous she usually got out of doing due to her early morning TV gigs.

As well as that, she said she had been able to go to so many more things her children – who she shares with her TV producer husband Dan Baldwin – were getting up to.

Holly’s TV return sees her front the Bear Grylls adventure programme Celebrity Bear Hunt, which premieres on February 5.

The gig meant she had to jet off to Costa Rica for several weeks in May last year to film – and was left worried at how her family would cope with her gone.

But husband Dan stepped up to the plate, she said, as she revealed she actually didn’t get homesick because she was having such a good time.

According to Netflix, the competition show sees a group of unlikely celebrities get dropped into the Central American jungle as prey for one of the world’s most fearsome predators – Bear.

The former This Morning host took some time away from screens and the red carpet, aside from her role on Dancing On Ice, after a 'graphic' kidnap and murder plot against her was revealed
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The former This Morning host took some time away from screens and the red carpet, aside from her role on Dancing On Ice, after a ‘graphic’ kidnap and murder plot against her was revealed

The gig meant she had to jet off to Costa Rica for several weeks in May last year to film - and was left worried at how her family would cope with her gone - but husband Dan stepped up to the plate, she said (Pictured together in 2016)
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The gig meant she had to jet off to Costa Rica for several weeks in May last year to film – and was left worried at how her family would cope with her gone – but husband Dan stepped up to the plate, she said (Pictured together in 2016)

As Bear puts them through their paces, those who fail to impress will face the dreaded ‘Bear Hunt’.

The Bear Hunt is said to be a brutal game of cat and mouse where they’ll be hunted down by Bear himself and, if captured, face elimination from the show.

Show bosses have pulled out all the stops with their latest line-up which features Spice Girl Mel B, Strictly judge Shirley Ballas, Boris Becker and model Lottie Moss.

Also joining the A-list line-up is Inbetweeners star Joe Thomas, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Steph McGovern, Una Healy, Kila Bokinni, Leomie Anerson and Danny Cipriani.

Holly made her return to TV in December as she took on hosting of the new gameshow You Bet! alongside her Dancing On Ice co-host Stephen.

Speaking previously about being a part of the show, Holly gushed: ‘I remember watching You Bet! as a kid, and I loved it. For me, it felt like true Saturday night telly.

Holly made her return to TV in December as she took on hosting of the new gameshow You Bet ! alongside her Dancing On Ice co-host Stephen
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Holly made her return to TV in December as she took on hosting of the new gameshow You Bet ! alongside her Dancing On Ice co-host Stephen

‘I remember being glued to the TV whilst watching a digger pick up 6 delicate eggs in its giant jaws and placing them on egg cups, all in a minute.

‘I remember looking at my Dad who was equally as enthralled as I was. I think the show works for all ages and is real family viewing.’

Asked what her most memorable moment of filming was, she referenced the iconic cactus licking moment.

She joked: ‘The one that stands out to me the most was a lovely couple whose unique challenge was that they could identify different types of cactuses – whilst blindfolded – by licking them!’