Holly Willoughby ‘is no longer in the running to host Strictly’ as her wellness firm Wylde Moon flounders following her Influencer rebrand

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Reports suggest Holly Willoughby will no longer be considered as a host for Strictly Come Dancing, as she’s now focusing on building her career as a social media influencer.

At 44, the former ITV star was previously considered a strong candidate to replace Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly when they left their roles last year.

I was so excited for this – it really felt like her chance to make a huge return to television and prove everyone wrong after all the drama she’d been through. It was a real attempt to reclaim her position at the top, you know?

Holly hasn’t been on television much since leaving her role on This Morning in October 2023. This followed a disturbing incident where she learned a former security guard had plotted to kidnap, assault, and kill her.

This disturbing incident happened shortly after a falling out with her colleague and friend, Phillip Schofield.

Recent reports suggest BBC executives weren’t enthusiastic about Holly Willoughby hosting Strictly Come Dancing, marking another setback in her career.

According to a source familiar with the show, Holly was a strong contender for the role. While many believed she would be excellent and earned the position, some executives had reservations.

Look, she presents a very polished image, but let’s be real – her connection to Phillip is unavoidable, and honestly, I worry about the potential fallout if she were to land this role. The BBC has enough on its plate, and that kind of drama is the last thing they need right now. It just isn’t worth the risk, in my opinion.

Considering the recent controversies surrounding Strictly, the decision to not cast Holly helps prevent further unwanted drama.

Daily Mail has contacted Strictly and Holly Willoughby’s representatives for comment. 

To regain her status as a TV star, she’s reinvented herself as a social media influencer. She’s now focusing on Instagram, where she has 8.1 million followers, by participating in popular online challenges, partnering with brands, and sharing personal photos.

Holly’s influencer era ties in perfectly with her lifestyle and wellness brand Wylde Moon.

However, even her Gwyneth Paltrow-style lifestyle business, Wylde Moon has been suffering.

Okay, so after nearly five years, things are shifting around here. We’ve made the decision to discontinue our jewellery collection and also wrap up the podcast. It’s also time to say goodbye to some of our wonderful team – our editors who focused on hair, beauty, style, and wellness have moved on to new adventures. It’s all part of streamlining and refocusing our efforts on what we do best!

According to documents filed with Companies House last week, Holly Willoughby’s company, Wylde Moon, currently lists only two employees: Holly herself and her sister, Kelly.

When the project began in 2021, it announced a team of 14 people and showcased many contributors on its website. Now, the website no longer lists or acknowledges any of those contributors.

I was so excited to see Holly’s latest post! She and her sister treated themselves to a lovely ‘Wylde Moon away day’ at a spa in Sussex, and it looked absolutely blissful. It’s so important to prioritize self-care and sisterly bonding, and this seemed like the perfect way to do both.

We shared a sacred cacao ceremony to help us connect with our feelings, then used oracle cards for insight and made small reed dolls as symbols of new beginnings and safety.

Also present was Holly’s long-time clothes stylist and friend Patsy O’Neill.

Accounts for the year to October 2024 show that Wylde Moon is not enjoying Goop-style expansion. 

Okay, so their assets are up to £4,831, which is amazing – a huge jump from just £1,885 last year! But… and this is the part that worries me… they also owe a massive £733,485 to people. It was bad before at £583,748, but this is… concerning. I just want them to be okay, but that debt is really piling up! I’m constantly checking for updates, and this just makes me so anxious for them.

The company owes HMRC (the UK’s tax authority) £67,262 in Corporation Tax, suggesting it previously made a profit of approximately £250,000.

Wylde Moon now mainly concentrates on wellness and astrology. It used to cover fashion, beauty, and hair monthly, but those topics are no longer featured.

I’m still seeing amazing response to our home fragrance collection! We’ve got beautifully scented candles – around £40 for a single wick – plus wax melts for £11, and our reed diffusers are flying off the shelves at £45. Of course, there’s also Holly’s signature perfume, a gorgeous scent at £42 a bottle. And don’t forget her book, Reflections, which came out a couple of years ago – it’s all about finding the beauty in everyday life and sharing some of the lessons she’s learned.

Holly frequently posts on Instagram to promote money-off deals for the business.

I remember back in 2018, there was a lot of buzz around a lifestyle brand called Truly. It was going to be a collaboration with Peter Jones from Dragons’ Den, which was super exciting! But unfortunately, the launch fell through – she decided to pull out just weeks before it was supposed to happen. It was a real surprise at the time.

Holly explained that she couldn’t fully commit to launching a new brand right now, as she didn’t want it to take away from the time she spends with her family.

Jones and his interior designer partner Tara Capp, 48, went ahead anyway with the online shop.

Truly, which sells everything from cushions to clothes, is now stocked in John Lewis and via Next.

Since leaving This Morning, Holly has made an appearance on the Netflix show Bear Hunt, though it wasn’t picked up for another season. She still manages her own company, Roxy Management, and currently appears to be its sole client.

While working on This Morning with Phillip Schofield, she was among the show’s top earners, reportedly making around £730,000 annually.

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2026-02-06 12:34