Movies

Holly Willoughby’s Celebrity Bear Hunt ‘Faced with Cancellation’ After Ratings Dip

BBG News

Holly Willoughby’s Netflix series Celebrity Bear Hunt is reportedly facing the axe.

The presenter, aged 44, apparently earned nearly £1 million to lead the reality show for the streaming service, equating to approximately £40,000 for every minute she was on-screen.

However, the much-anticipated show seems to be in limbo.

A year ago at this very moment, stars like Boris Becker and Mel B were immersed in the wilderness of Costa Rica, undergoing challenges led by survival master Bear Grylls.

Despite an encouraging start with promising ratings, the series didn’t quite reach the level of a blockbuster success – and Netflix isn’t eagerly planning another season just yet.

This year’s team has moved on to different ventures, so any resumption of the original format will likely be postponed, if not abandoned entirely.

Netflix did not respond to requests for comment.

According to a source, approximately a month back, I learned that the show was teetering on the edge. The viewership numbers weren’t impressive, and the production costs were staggeringly high.

Discussions took place regarding ways to reduce costs, including possible budget reductions. However, transporting celebrities to a distant location for an entire month, along with the necessary accommodations, is quite expensive.

In the thrilling unfolding of events on the show that premiered in February, I found myself entangled in some ropes during a rafting adventure, losing consciousness. Remarkably, Bear Grylls came to my aid, reviving me on the very beach where the incident occurred.

In an unexpected turn of events, I found myself momentarily unconscious on the sandy shore. When I regained consciousness, there before me stood a radiant blonde, bathed in sunlight – fortunately, it turned out to be none other than my beloved companion, Holly.

Whenever Holly tilted slightly and asked, “You okay, Laurence?”, a spark inside me ignited, for in that moment I recognized her. If an angel like Gabriel ever existed and resembled Holly Willoughby, I’d wager he’d be over the moon with joy!

Currently, it seems that Holly has chosen a fresh path for her television journey since she no longer hosts an ITV show due to the cancellation of Dancing on Ice.

She recently shattered ITV’s dream of having her as their Saturday night headliner by refusing a wealthy opportunity to host the game show, “You Bet!” instead.

According to ITV sources, she was occupied with other responsibilities following Holly’s debut as a host for Celebrity Bear Hunt, which marked her first major role outside of ITV.

For the first time in over two decades, Holly isn’t scheduled to have an ITV show, a situation she hasn’t experienced since she was first hailed as the network’s television sweetheart.

For several years, she has consistently appeared on both ITV and ITV2, taking on hosting roles for programs like Surprise Surprise, Celebrity Juice, The Games, The Xtra Factor, and I’m A Celebrity.

Holly is most recognized for co-hosting This Morning with Philip Schofield from 2009 to 2023, and for taking charge of Dancing On Ice since 2006.

Consequently, ITV fans will miss out on seeing Holly, as no official announcement has been made about her involvement in a new project with the channel.

In a significant setback for ITV, Holly declined an attractive offer to host a revival of the popular game show You Bet! due to her existing obligations.

According to a source, there was such strong viewer interest in ‘You Bet’ that TV executives at ITV chose to extend its airing for an entire season.

‘Holly and Stephen are a great double act and they were both brilliant so they were asked back.

‘But Holly politely declined, she has other commitments and couldn’t make it work.

As an ardent admirer, I can’t help but express my excitement! Now that she’s freed from the daily grind of This Morning, she’s got a world of opportunities before her. The possibilities are global, and I can hardly contain my anticipation for what she might choose next!

For her, the Celebrity Bear Hunt was an extraordinary experience – marking her debut on Netflix. She thoroughly enjoyed the project, and the team appreciated her as well. So, there’s a strong possibility we might see even more collaborations in the future.

‘The world is now Holly’s oyster, there are so many opportunities for her.’

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2025-05-02 20:51

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