This Morning's Holly Willoughby had 'emotional reunion' with host as she 'battles anxiety'

Holly Willoughby has had an "emotional reunion" with an old co-star whom she "loves and adores", a source has claimed.

The former This Morning presenter, 43, is set to continue her long-awaited TV comeback with a revamped 90s ITV classic alongside a fellow presenter with whom she's been friends with for 20 years.

A source told Closer that in addition to working with a "close friend", Holly is also "grateful" that she's landed a role working with someone she feels "supported by" after the recent upheavals she's experienced in her life.

The source told the magazine: "Having Stephen (Mulhern) alongside her and knowing they'll be doing it together has helped her enormously - it's been quite an emotional reunion.

"And while she's still battling with anxiety and working on rebuilding her confidence, she's grateful that she'll be working with such a close friend she not only feels incredibly supported by, but who she loves and adores."

Holly and Stephen, who also host Dancing On Ice together, will present You Bet!, a reboot of a show previously led by Darren Day, Bruce Forsyth and Matthew Kelly.

It will air on ITV1 and ITVX this autumn, with Holly saying she was "excited to be part of this iconic game show". Meanwhile, Stephen said he "loved You Bet! as a kid," and was also excited to host with the "wonderful" Holly Willoughby.

The ITV programme comes after she ended her 14-year stint on This Morning following the discovery of a terrifying kidnap and murder plot.

Holly, who is also expected to host a Netflix show, Bear Hunt, revealed at the time that she made the difficult decision for "herself and her family".

Gavin Plumb was sentenced to a minimum of 16 years in prison earlier this summer after being convicted for plotting to kidnap, rape and murder the popular presenter.

However, she also experienced an earlier upheaval when her long-time This Morning co-host, Phillip Schofield, left the popular breakfast show last May.

Phillip admitted to an "unwise but not illegal" affair with a younger male colleague and has since kept himself out of the spotlight, with Holly leaving the show in October 2023.

Stephen Mulhern has worked with Holly before, including on the children's show Ministry Of Mayhem, which was later redubbed Holly & Stephen's Saturday Showdown.

They even shared a number of on-screen kisses during a Christmas episode of CITV's Saturday Showdown after Stephen gave Holly an elf hat with mistletoe.

After a festive kiss from Holly, she joked: "Don't wear my lips out, I am going to be kissing Anthony from Blue soon.."