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Is Olivia Attwood the new Holly Willoughby? History repeats itself as ITV recruits their latest bubbly blonde with a racy past to host This Morning

BBG News

On Friday, Olivia Attwood first appeared as a co-host on This Morning, alongside Dermot O’Leary for the ITV program.

On a recent Friday, the prior Love Island host, aged 34, who frequently works on documentaries for the network, stepped in as a substitute for the usual Friday presenter, Alison Hammond.

However, it seems like history might be on repeat, given that Olivia shares similar characteristics with the renowned ex-host of This Morning, Holly Willoughby – her vibrant personality and striking blonde hair are bound to invite unavoidable comparisons.

Over the years, Olivia has significantly advanced since her debut as a Love Island contestant in 2017.

Among the series’ standout participants, the star made it all the way to the finale alongside Chris Hughes; however, they parted ways in 2018.

During her stint on the program, Olivia didn’t shy away from being intimate with Chris, and openly shared this fact with her co-islanders, stating they had sexual encounters within the villa.

Following my stint on Love Island, I chose to transition into a more refined sphere by gracing the screens as a presenter for ITV’s documentaries, after spending a year immersed in the vibrant cast of TOWIE.

As a seasoned lifestyle expert in 2023, I found myself gracing the panel of Loose Women, an engaging daytime talk show on ITV, joining esteemed personalities such as Coleen Nolan, Frankie Bridge, and Ruth Langsford on a daily basis.

Her stint as a guest host on “This Morning” is another step in her transition from being known for her work on “Love Island” to establishing herself as a TV presenter, marking a shift away from her more raucous past.

Her path isn’t too dissimilar from Holly, as both initially developed a more alluring persona once they gained popularity.

In my line of work as a lifestyle expert, I must confess that even though Holly may not have reached the level of audacity as Olivia, she certainly wasn’t shy about daring photoshoots during her youthful years. One unforgettable instance was when she posed boldly in stockings and suspenders for Arena magazine, a moment captured back in 2005 that still resonates today.

Prior to her stint as the healthier morning show host on This Morning, Holly had participated in the more provocative Celebrity Juice, a talk show led by Keith Lemon.

Under the guidance of host Keith Lemon, Celebrity Juice transformed into an uninhibited arena where celebrities gleefully discarded any semblance of decorum, eagerly participating in the lively and unapologetic atmosphere.

During their time together on the show, Keith often called Holly by an older nickname, “Holly Willoughby”.

In the Noughties, the previous host of children’s TV programs gained the nickname during her stint on prime-time shows, and the mother of three openly expressed feeling proud about the playful moniker.

Holly acknowledged that Keith was the one who came up with the term, saying to The Standard: “To be sincere, it’s quite pleasant and I feel honored that a woman who has nursed her own children receives such recognition…if we can even refer to it as that.

Nevertheless, she eventually stepped away from the series when she departed in 2020 and was subsequently replaced by Emily Atack.

The event was called off in the year 2022, a decision Keith partially attributes to shifting perspectives on humor.

For 14 years, Holly co-hosted “This Morning” alongside Philip Schofield. However, he departed the program following his confession about having an affair with a younger coworker.

In October 2023, Holly chose to depart the program on her own accord. Since then, she’s ventured beyond her extensive tenure at ITV by co-hosting ‘Celebrity Bear Hunt with Bear Grylls’ on Netflix.

For the very first time in over two decades, Holly didn’t have an ITV show planned in her schedule, marking a change from her status as ITV’s beloved television personality.

For quite some time, she is well-known across ITV and ITV2 channels, as she presents programs such as Surprise Surprise, Celebrity Juice, The Games, The Xtra Factor, and I’m A Celebrity among others.

Holly is primarily recognized for co-hosting This Morning with Philip Schofield from 2009 to 2023, and for her role as the main host of Dancing on Ice starting in 2006.

Currently, ITV viewers are unlikely to see Holly, as no official announcements have been made about her signing up for another project with the channel.

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

As a die-hard fan, I can’t help but share this thrilling piece of news! According to my insider sources, the overwhelming popularity of “You Bet” left everyone yearning for more. So much so, the bigwigs at ITV couldn’t resist giving it a long overdue, full season run!

‘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.

She’s highly sought-after and no longer tied down to hosting ‘This Morning’ four days a week, she can now explore various opportunities, some of which have a global reach.

For her, the Celebrity Bear Hunt was a significant milestone, marking her debut with Netflix. She thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and the team appreciated her as well. Therefore, there’s a strong possibility that we might see more collaborations between her and Netflix in the future.

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

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2025-07-27 11:49

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