ITV bosses ‘fight to keep Holly Willoughby amid fears she could quit This Morning’
ITV bosses fear Holly Willoughby could quit This Morning ahead of her contract renewal, it has been claimed.
The 42-year-old has presented the daytime show since 2009, but her latest contract ends in December.
Discussions are said to have usually started by now, but insiders insist there is hesitation over what her plans will be.
It follows a tough year for Holly who faced public backlash over footage she skipped the queue to see the Queen lying in state.
A petition was launched to have Holly and her co-host Phillip Schofield sacked.
But the pair were backed by bosses who insisted they’d done nothing wrong.
An insider told the Mirror: “Bosses know last year was incredibly hard for her and as such, they are not approaching her contract negotiations with the same confidence as they have previously.”
BBC and ITV are recently said to be locked in a “bitter battle” over the Beeb poaching top stars from its commercial rival.
The broadcasters are at loggerheads after Joel Dommett, the host of ITV’s The Masked Singer and I’m a Celebrity… runner up, landed a high-profile role on the corporation’s new adventure series Survivor.
The BBC has also recently handed work to Alison Hammond, a presenter on ITV’s This Morning, Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden and Rochelle Humes, the host of Ninja Warrior.
Bradley Walsh, the frontman for The Chase, and his son, Barney, have also been hired by the BBC to front the reboot of Gladiators.
Bosses at ITV now fear executives at the BBC will attempt to woo more stars after Holly was invited to be the corporation’s guest of honour at an awards ceremony last year.
A source at the broadcaster told the Mail on Sunday: “It’s getting ridiculous now. Spot the talent, nurture the talent and then the BBC swan in and take them.
“There is a view amongst the executives here that they love the fact ITV’s stars are so relatable. When will they find their own, and when will they stop?”