Holly Willoughby apparently has no plans to return to This Morning following her scary kidnapping threat, allowing her co-stars to ‘cover for her for as long as is needed.’
It was originally reported on Friday that a shopping mall security officer had been held in jail in connection with an alleged plot against the 42-year-old broadcaster.
Gavin Plumb has been charged with soliciting the murder of David Nelson and inciting him to conduct kidnapping between October 2 and 5 in Harlow, Essex.
ITV executives were informed of the situation on Thursday morning, with Holly bailing out of her presenting position at the last minute and now taking a vacation from our screens.
Willoughby is now thought to be unlikely to appear on the show until the end of October at the earliest.
An insider revealed: ‘As the days go by, something like this doesn’t get any easier for Holly but it is difficult to think about any kind of work right now, let alone when your job is to present a live television show.’
They added to MailOnline: ‘The This Morning presenters have been in touch with her and they will juggle covering her role for as long as is needed.’
According to The Mirror, a source shared: ‘There has been no discussion about when, or if, she will return to the This Morning sofa. No decisions have been made about that. But given the terrifying things she has learned this week, the question of returning to work could not be further from her mind.’
The Dancing on Ice host is claimed to be off the air for the foreseeable future and to be under 24-hour police and ITV security.
A spokesperson for ITV said: ‘This news has come as a huge shock to everyone at This Morning and ITV.
‘We are providing all of the support we can to Holly and her family at this incredibly distressing time.’
District Judge Caroline Jackson remanded the suspect, who is from Harlow, into jail.
He recently testified in court just to prove his identity.
A plea hearing has been scheduled on November 3 at Chelmsford Crown Court.
This Morning airs weekdays at 10am on ITV.
