Holly Willoughby is reportedly set to launch a bid to crack America, by filming a pilot for one of TV’s biggest streamers.
Sources claim the former This Morning star, 45, is set to record an episode of a chat show for Disney+, focused around high profile women and empowerment.
Holly, who launched her new YouTube show Together last month, has returned to the spotlight for the first time since stepping away from the ITV daytime show in 2023. Read more here.
The star is reportedly set to film the pilot later this month, in a bid to kickstart her return to mainstream TV.
Holly’s last big TV gig was Dancing On Ice, which was axed in 2025, while her Netflix show Celebrity Bear Hunt was also dropped last year.
A source said: ‘Holly has been sought by Disney+ for a new show and is filming a pilot in the next few weeks.
Holly Willoughby is reportedly set to launch a bid to crack America, by filming a pilot for one of TV’s biggest streamers
Sources claim the former This Morning star is set to record an episode of a chat show for Disney+, weeks after launching her own YouTube series Together Together
‘It’s called The Holding Space with Holly Willoughby and will see her interviewing high-profile women.
‘The whole premise of the show is empowerment and authenticity, with Holly leading the conversation.’
The insider added that the production company has already spent a ‘fair bit’ of money on the project, and are ‘confident’ it will be picked up by Disney+ bosses.
The Daily Mail has contacted a representative for Holly Willoughby for comment.
Holly stepped down from This Morning in October 2023, after it emerged that she had been the victim of a horrific plot to kidnap her.
It also came five months after the show became embroiled in scandal when her longtime co-host Phillip Schofield admitted lying about a relationship with a much younger colleague.
After nearly three years out of the spotlight, her YouTube comeback has prompted mixed reviews.
The former This Morning host launched her first episode of the show at the end of last month, with desperate attempts at relatability thanks to swearing and unsubtle innuendos with first guest, The Devil Wears Prada star Stanley Tucci, 65.
The star is reportedly set to film the pilot later this month, with Holly previously sharing her love for Disney by visiting one of their theme parks
It failed to impress critics – with a one-star review comparing her show to Meghan Markle’s attempt to enter the lifestyle realm with her own show last year.
Last March, Meghan launched a Netflix lifestyle series, which was blasted, leading to The Guardian branding Holly’s show ‘a marginally less agonising With Love, Meghan’ while The Telegraph stated: ‘[Holly’s] dire show makes Meghan look good.’
And 24 hours after it was posted to her YouTube channel, it had received 41,000 views. She now has 11,000 subscribers to the channel.
For context, The Rest Is Entertainment launched in November 2023 and currently has 138K subscribers. It currently sits as one of the top three entertainment podcasts in the UK.
Their episode went up on the same day as Holly’s episode with Stanley. Their episode has accumulated 29,000 views.
On the episode, she joins Stanley in making a pasta dish – which led to The Telegraph’s Anita Singh stating: ‘They are so stuck for conversation that they end up reading out the ingredients list of a Fray Bentos steak and kidney pie.’
After a beer and wine, Stanley kicked off a cookery session by handing Holly a coloured courgette, which led to the star stating: ‘I’ve never seen one like this before’ – in a very unsubtle innuendo, similar to her This Morning slip-ups.
While fans appear to enjoy the show, the reviews have been lacklustre elsewhere, with complaints of shaky camera work and an overlong running time.
A shocking one star review came from The Telegraph, who referenced Meghan’s Netflix show With Love, Meghan.
She writes: ‘Holly Willoughby’s dire YouTube show makes Meghan look good… Not even Stanley Tucci can redeem this 50-minute borefest of awkward small talk, forced swearing and pie tin trivia…
‘Even Meghan’s producers had the good sense to keep changing things up, editing her so she whizzed from rainbow fruit platters to flower arranging to holding guests hostage while potato printing.’
Alongside a three star review, The Mirror complains: ‘The result is a 50 minute show to cook a simple dish which might have worked better as say a tighter 30-40 minute episode in my opinion…
‘And with only one guest to bounce off, a slightly edited down version, or in future having several guests with a connection might make the conversation more entertaining, fast flowing and lively. But it seems to be a deliberately laid back affair.’
The i Paper’s Sarah Carson, meanwhile, stated: ‘Her new YouTube series, ‘Together,’ is a confused attempt to present herself as relatable…
‘The public either wants honest, unfiltered imperfection or glamour and something to aspire to. Willoughby still hasn’t decided which she wants to be. Together is proof that her superpower was always her ability to be professional, not a personality.’
The Times’ Carol Midgley writes: ‘Will it be a success? Well, it looks nice, Holly may take her fanbase with her, and her profile means she will probably be able to entice a good quality of guest…
‘Tucci was, as usual, effortlessly charismatic and at ease in front of the camera, and his recipe for spaghetti con zucchine alla Nerano looked very tasty.’
Teasers show upcoming episodes will see Holly joined by best friends Nicole Appleton and Emma Bunton, alongside Katherine Ryan and Joanne McNally.
The Guardian’s Stuart Heritage also gave the show three stars, writing: ‘The former This Morning host has done a Meghan, rebranding herself as a cookery guru with a YouTube show that veers from agonisingly dull courgette slicing to sweary banter.’
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